The New Guy
by Shandeh
Summary: A new guy has just moved to Forks High School from Phoenix. Bella remembers him well. How will Edward deal with this invasion from Bella's past? How will Bella handle her emotions, and Edward's ferocious jealousy? This story takes place after Book One of the Twilight series, and replaces everything else with an alternate version. Almost 17,000 views so far :)
1. The New Guy

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**Thank you all SO FREAKIN' MUCH for reading my story! I have been amazed by your response. More than 16,000 views! I really enjoyed writing this story, and was very happy with every single chapter. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I have enjoyed writing. Your follows, faves, and reviews just make my day. :)**

**THE NEW GUY AT FORKS**

**-(Bella is overwhelmed with emotions from her past. This story takes place after Twilight, replacing New Moon.)-**

"Have you seen the new guy?" Lauren asked Angela, on Monday afternoon. "My God, is he HOT!"

Bella overheard their conversation, and wondered who they were talking about. She and Edward were walking in the school hall together. She was enjoying holding hands with him as they walked now, because her cast had finally been removed. It felt good to wear normal shoes again.

When they reached Bella's gym class, Edward kissed her goodbye, then regretfully walked off to his own class. He had switched much of his schedule around, so he could spend his entire school day in Bella's presence, but gym could not be changed. He looked back over his shoulder, admiring Bella's hair, amused by how she stumbled a bit, as she entered the gym. _"Just one more class, then we can have some time alone,"_ he told himself. He turned the corner, then listened to the thoughts of Bella's classmates he knew, so he could "watch" her until class ended.

Bella was almost to the girl's locker room, when she heard someone call her name. "Bella Swan? What the hell are you doing here? I didn't know you went to this school!" She turned back to see who was calling her, then froze with her eyes wide open. "Adam? What are you doing here?" she squeaked.

"Hot DAMN, girl. You look fine! Moving to Forks has definitely agreed with you. I don't remember your body looking like THIS, and that hair..._he whistled_...it's grown all the way down your back. It makes that sweet ass of yours look so perky and touchable." He groaned in appreciation.

Bella's eyes were still huge, as she took in her former Phoenix High School crush. He was the captain of the football team, and was absolutely gorgeous. Black hair, sparkling blue eyes, six foot two, and cut like a Greek god.

He came to stand right in front of her, and reached out for a handful of her hair, caressing it with his fingers. "Baby, I was mad at my dad for getting transferred to Washington state, but not anymore." He gazed at her with desire.

Bella was speechless, overwhelmed with the physical reaction his words and actions were causing in her body. A year ago, she would have melted into Adam's arms if he spoke one word to her. She had been crushing over him since 6th grade. Now, she was in love with Edward Cullen, and knew that Adam's attention would not be appreciated by her boyfriend.

She took a deep breath, then stepped back, to put some space between them. Adam just took a step toward her to close the distance again. "What's wrong, sweetheart? You can't be shy now. I remember how you used to watch me back in Phoenix. Come on, let's see if we can light a little fire together." He leaned in and gave her a quick kiss, holding the back of her head in his hand. "Your hair feels so silky, and you sure smell good. I can't believe I never noticed how hot you were before."

"Uh...Adam. I need to get dressed for gym," Bella said, as she escaped into the girl's locker room, clutching her hand to her heart.

"What's wrong, Bella?" Angela asked. Edward was watching this conversation closely in his mind. Was Bella hurt? Why did she look like this?

"Nothing. Someone just took me by surprise." She went into a restroom stall, so she could close the door, and be alone. Standing with her back to the stall door, she closed her eyes and took several calming breaths. _"Oh my God! What am I going to do?!" _she worried.

Angela stood outside the stall, asking, "Do you need anything Bella? Are you alright?" Edward waited to hear what she said, leaning forward in his seat, ready to run to her aid if necessary.

"No, I'm fine Angela," Bella said. "I'm just going to use the bathroom." Angela walked away, to change clothes for gym, leaving Edward with no way to keep watching Bella. He was tempted to leave his class, and go check on Bella face to face, but decided to wait until he could watch her through Mike's eyes when they began playing the assigned team sport.

Bella waited several seconds, then went to change her clothes for class. Walking out of the locker room, she found Adam standing just outside the door, waiting for her. "So...how long have you been here, Bella? Any advice for another newcomer?" He placed his arm around her shoulder, pulling her close, leaning down to kiss her cheek.

Bella pulled away, then ran to the other side of the gym to join Mike's team for badminton. Mike noticed that she was breathing heavy, and said, "What's up, Bella? Been working out ahead of time?" She stared daggers at him, then spit out, "Leave me alone, Mike." He wilted from her response, replying, "Sorry Bella. Didn't mean to make you angry." Bella felt bad for snapping at him, and said, "Don't worry about it, Mike. I'm just a little flustered."

Adam was playing basketball at the other end of the gym, looking her way occasionally. Once she had to lean over to pick up the birdie, and Adam whistled his appreciation. Edward heard the whistle through Mike's ears, and his eyes glazed over in anger. He gripped the armrests of his chair, feeling them bend in response. Emmett leaned over toward him, "What's wrong Edward? Calm down, man!"

Mike looked over to find the source of the whistle, asking, "Who's that new guy over there?" Bella looked over at him, and said, "Just some guy I used to know in Phoenix. He must have just moved here. He says that his dad got transferred to Washington state." Mike felt jealous, and wanted to go tell the guy to bug off. He had enough to worry about with Cullen trying to claim Bella. Now, he had another guy to deal with. He fumed with frustration.

Edward saw the guy too, then squeezed his eyes closed in anger. _"What an asshole...whistling at my girl. Time to leave class."_ He stood up to leave, and Emmett grabbed his arm. "Sit down, man. We're getting a test today." Edward sat back down with irritation, closing his eyes, and squeezing his hands into tight fists.

The test papers were handed out at an incredibly slow pace, then the teacher gave them the go ahead to begin. Edward wrote out his answers in lightning speed, then walked forward to place his paper on the teacher's desk, asking to be excused. The teacher raised his eyebrows, looked over Edward's answers in disbelief, then finally gave Edward permission to leave.

Edward tore out of the room, then walked to the gym at a faster pace than he normally used in front of humans. He was furious. Who was this guy?

When he reached the open doorway of the gym, he looked across the room to see the new guy. The jerk was showing off with a ball, trying to impress Bella. Edward took a look at Bella, noticing her blushed cheeks. Was she actually interested in this guy? He really wished that he could read her mind RIGHT NOW. Fuming, he turned his attention on the new guy, to read his thoughts.

Adam was remembering a day a couple years back in Phoenix. Bella was sitting in the bleachers at a football game, with her elbows resting on her knees, her face resting on her hands. She was staring intently at Adam, with a dreamy expression. Adam mused, _"She didn't look so good back then, but DAMN...she is smokin' now. That luscious hair feels like satin. Those curves! I can't wait to get those sweet tits in my hands. Her lips are so soft and warm...mmmmm...they belong all over me, and I'm gonna make that happen soon."_

He was standing under the basketball goal, looking over at Bella, remembering how her lips had felt when he kissed her. Within two seconds he was facedown in the grass outside. Edward's hand was holding him down, and he was growling with intense fury. "HOW DARE YOU TOUCH BELLA!" he yelled.

Adam attempted to shake the guy off, but was surprised to see that he couldn't move at all. This guy sure was strong. Was he a wrestler, or something? "Hey, dude. Back off. Why are you messing around with me?"

Edward grabbed the back of Adam's shirt, pulling him up to stand again. They looked at each other with their faces clenched in anger. "Listen ADAM, I don't know who you think you are, but Bella is MY girl!"

Adam huffed out a breath, saying, "I didn't realize that girls could be owned by assholes. I've known Bella for eight years. Didn't she tell you about me?" He remembered seeing Bella in elementary school, carrying her Barbie lunchbox. Then, he snorted as he remembered Bella in middle school, with braces and thick glasses.

Edward flinched, seeing Bella's earlier self in the memories of this loser. Adam didn't deserve to remember her. He wished that he could physically remove every thought.

Next, Adam remembered the feel of Bella's lips when he stole the kiss earlier, and the way her silky hair felt in his hands. This was all it took for Edward to reach the end of his rope. His right hand came back in a fist, and he punched Adam so hard, that he fell back to the ground. Adam's nose began to bleed, then he passed out.

Alice and Jasper appeared at Edward's side, "Come on Edward. Leave the guy alone. You've done enough damage here. Let's go home." They grabbed him firmly, leading him to the car, as Edward jerked his arms, trying to free himself. He wanted to finish the guy off. Emmett soon joined them, and they were able to get Edward in the backseat of his car. Alice drove them home, while Jasper and Emmett held him down.

No one had seen the fight, because it happened so quickly. In a few minutes, Adam revived, moaning in pain, and holding his hand over his nose. "What the hell just happened? Who was that guy?" He stood up, then walked back into the gym, so he could change out of his bloody shirt. His head felt like he had been hit by a truck. His eyes were already starting to swell.

At the end of the school day, Edward drove to the school to take Bella home, and asked her about Adam, "How did this guy manage to kiss you? And he was touching your hair?"

Bella looked down in embarrassment. "Edward, he just came and started doing that stuff to me. It's not my fault."

Edward pulled to a stop in front of her house, then turned to face her. "Look, I'm not blaming you. I just want to know more about this guy. Was he your boyfriend in Phoenix? You told me that you never had a boyfriend before. Was that not true? I read his thoughts, Bella. He remembers you from way back. You were looking at him like you were attracted to him." Edward squeezed his eyes shut, wishing he could erase these memories.

Bella breathed out a huge sigh, "Edward, look. I used to have a crush on him, okay? He never even acknowledged me. He ignored me completely, like every other guy in Phoenix. I don't know why he's all of a sudden interested in me."

Edward responded, "Oh, I do...because you're beautiful, and soft, and your hair feels like silk. Bella, he was fantasizing about feeling your body, and having your lips all over him. I can't stand for someone to think about you that way. It makes me furious!" His hands were clenched. He wanted to rip Adam's arms off, and pluck out his eyeballs.

Bella's eyes widened in surprise. She was flattered that Adam was noticing her, and it made her feel sexy. I mean, he was the captain of the football team! She shook her head, reminding herself that he had completely ignored her in Phoenix. He must only like girls for their body, and nothing else. It made her feel dirty, and cheap, knowing that she was flattered by his attention.

"Listen Edward, I know that you love me. I know that you are the one for me. Don't worry...I don't want to be with Adam. I just don't know how to get rid of him." She quickly added, "And I don't want YOU to get rid of him, either. You would have to leave town if you did something like that. I want you to be here with me!"

Edward's anger boiled, as he imagined all the ways he would like to torture Adam. His eyes were smoldering black, and his brows were almost touching. Bella reached over to him, "Edward...honey. Promise me that you won't do anything careless. Let's come up with a different plan."

Edward got out of the car, then walked around to Bella's side, opening her door to let her out. "I'll discuss it with the rest of my family tonight. Maybe we can brainstorm a solution. But Bella...if he so much as LOOKS at you, I swear I cannot be responsible for my actions."

Bella was so worried.

Edward had really injured Adam's nose badly. Adam's father had arrived at the hospital soon after the ambulance arrived from school. Dr. Carlisle Cullen was very professional, and leaned in closely to examine Adam's injury. He could smell Edward's scent on the injury, and wondered what had made his son cause this damage to the boy.

"Let's take an x-ray," Carlisle mumbled. He was worried that there could possibly be brain damage. After examining the x-ray, he ordered some more tests, then went back to the examination room. "Mr. Fields, it appears that there is more damage than just Adam's nose. I'm ordering some further tests, and would like to admit Adam to the hospital for observation." Samuel Fields was now heavily concerned about his son, and agreed with Dr. Cullen's recommendation. He signed all the necessary paperwork, then went to stand by his son's side.

"Adam, it appears that you need to spend a day or two in the hospital. I'm going to call your mother, so she can bring some things that you'll be needing." Adam closed his eyes, and swore under his breath. _"I'm going to kill that bastard that hit me. I just need to figure out who it was. Shouldn't be too hard. He said that Bella was his girl. When I get back to school, I'll find him, and make him sorry he ever touched me."_


	2. Edward Stakes His Claim on Bella

**Edward Stakes His Claim**

Edward walked Bella into her house, and carried in her bookbag, holding her close as they went in her door. As soon as they got inside, he dropped the bag, then pushed her up against the door. His left arm went around her back, and his right hand dove into her hair. "You are MINE, Bella," he ordered, as his lips collided with hers. Edward had never kissed her this way before, and her heart went into overdrive. "Oh my god...Edward," she moaned.

Edward ran his fingers through her hair, as his tongue dove deep into her mouth. Bella swooned from his attention, and her knees went weak. The only thing keeping her standing was Edward's arm wrapped around her. His tongue tasted so sweet and cool - like honeyed ice cream, and her head began to swim. "Ah...hoo...babe," she sighed, as she fell under his vampire spell. Her arms went around his waist, and she dug her fingernails into his back. She felt tremors of desire flowing from her belly down to her wet center. Her right leg wrapped around Edward's thigh, pulling him even closer.

Edward moaned with pleasure, and he ground his hips into her pelvis. He had never felt this way before, and it was beyond anything he had ever imagined. Her hair did feel like silk, and her lips were soft and warm. All of a sudden, his mind was filled with fantasies of Bella's lips all over his body, bringing pleasure to every inch of his frame. He wanted her intensely. He wanted to claim her as his own...completely.

"Bella...I want you," he moaned. He brought his right hand down her shoulder, and along her arm, then moved it in to caress her breast. "Oh baby doll...you feel so good," he sighed into her mouth, as they moved their bodies together, learning their own personal tango. He could feel himself falling under her spell now. For the first time in his life, he wanted to have intercourse...with his mate. Breathing hard, he lifted her higher against the doorframe, and let her feel his erection nuzzling between her legs. The scent of her arousal was driving him to insanity. He wanted to taste her, feel her, mark her, enter her. He was frighteningly beyond control.

He had spent the last ninety years cultivating a perfect singular existence, with no impure thoughts or desires. But, those days were gone now. He had found his mate, and he was ready to consummate their union. This new guy Adam was trying to invade their joining, and Edward would do all he could to prevent that from happening. He wanted to be the only man that Bella would ever desire. He needed to make her absolutely his right now.

"Bella, please...I need to mate with you. Please...let's go upstairs," he begged. Bella was completely captivated with his words...her mind was fully immersed in his glorious vampire scent. No other thoughts were possible. She was captivated by him. "Yes, Edward...take me to bed," she agreed.

He lifted her up into his arms, and fairly flew up the stairs, placing her on the bed. His lips went to her neck, then to her shoulders, as he tore away her shirt. "Bella...you are mine forever. No one else can have you. You are mine...you are mine...you are mine," he chanted, as his mouth learned the feel of her skin, the softness of her beautiful texture. He pulled back to look into her eyes, then let his eyes roam down to behold her sweet breasts. "Mine," he proclaimed, as he stroked each lovely orb. "Mine," he repeated, as his lips closed around one of her nipples. He carefully covered his teeth with his lips, as he gently sucked. "Mmmmm...mine...mmmine."

Bella sang with praise, humming her accompaniment of "Yours...only yours, Edward. I belong to you." Fascinated, she watched her handsome vampire touching her body. She felt so loved, worshiped, adored by him. "So amazing...god...Edward...yes!" she cried.

"I'll do anything you want, Bella. I'll turn you, I'll take you away, I'll love you forever," he promised. "Yes, Edward...finally! Yes!" she replied. She was thrilled with his attention and promises. Things were working out for them now...at last.

Edward pulled up to look deep into her eyes. "We'll figure it all out very soon, Bella. But tonight, I just want to make love to you. I want to completely bond with you...I need to have sex with you. I need to mate with you. Please, baby...let me." His eyes were blacker than she had ever seen them before, and he was breathing hard and deep.

Bella nodded her head in agreement, and reached down to feel his erection. "Oh Edward, be careful with me. This is my first time, you know." He closed his eyes, "Yes, I know...it is for me as well. But, we can't wait any longer. I need to claim you now. You are my mate, and we can't put it off any longer. You are mine. You are mine...mine." Their mouths connected again, as they kissed with passion and intensity.

Bella reached up to run her fingers through Edward's hair, then she gently scratched his scalp. "Mmmm...that feels good," Edward moaned, "Keep doing that, baby." While her hands were busy in his hair, his hands went to work removing the rest of her clothes. He tore off the button of her jeans, and brought them down her hips, then gently kneaded her thighs. Her jeans bunched up around her knees, and she pulled her legs up to help him pull them away. Bella was now only wearing her lacy panties, which were soaked from her arousal.

"Sweetheart, let me see all of you," he asked. Bella blushed, and lowered her head, as Edward leaned on one arm to look at her. "You're so lovely, Bella. I will always be amazed by your beauty, my dear," he said. She shyly smiled, as his eyes devoured her. Her hands were now on his shoulders, and she gently stroked his arms. "Bella, go ahead and touch me...wherever you want," he offered. "Learn my body, because it belongs to you."

Bella sat up, and pushed him back on the bed. Her hands traveled over his chest, and she pulled off his shirt, then leaned her head in to kiss his nipples. Her tongue crept out, as she tasted his skin. "Edward, you taste like honey and vanilla. I want to lick you all over," she cried. His eyes lowered with desire, "Bella, you can do that anywhere you want. I love how you make me feel. I want you to taste every bit of me."

She rejoiced with the freedom he was giving her now, and she quickly removed the rest of his clothes, before he changed his mind. He helped her with his pants, then allowed her to slowly and shyly lower his boxers. She was blushing furiously, but her curiosity won out in the end. Her eyes and hands studied his body, learning his shape, his strength, his excitement. She leaned in to kiss his waist, his hips, his legs...then she finally touched his erection. He was so much larger than she had imagined he would be, and she wondered how he could possibly fit inside her. She brought her lips to taste what she was feeling, and was pleased with his fragrance and flavor.

"Bella, you're driving me crazy, love. I need to be inside you," he begged. He grabbed her waist, and flipped her over onto her back, then reached down to remove her panties. His hands then learned her shape completely, then his fingers carefully slid between her legs. "I'll be careful, my love. Don't worry, Bella," he promised. He brought his hand up to his mouth, and tasted her essence with relish. "Mmmmm Bella, you taste like heaven," he sighed, and he slid down to taste her at the source. "Mine...mine," he chanted again.

Bella's mouth flew open in ecstasy as Edward's tongue slipped into her folds. "Oh my god...Edward. Yes!" she cried. He was enjoying her taste immensely, and wrapped her legs over his shoulders, so he could devour every drop. Suddenly, Bella's body found release, and she quivered against his lips. Edward moaned with pleasure, saying, "Oh, we need to make that happen again when I'm inside you." Bella nodded her agreement, "Do it again Edward."

He smiled and wrapped his lips around her clitoris, as he circled his tongue on her little nub, giving her another orgasm, even more powerful than the one before. Her breathing was loud and fast as she came, and her hips bucked against his face, making him giddy with delight. He loved making her feel this good, and was now ready to reach his own orgasm...inside her tight wet center. He placed a finger there, to see what she felt like. "Oh baby...I really want to get in there now."

Sliding up her body, he pulled her legs open and settled himself between her hips. "Ready for me, love?" he asked. "Yes Edward...please," she agreed. Cautiously, he moved into position, then pushed himself just an inch inside her. She felt so hot and wet and tight...absolute bliss. He closed his eyes, enjoying the sensation, and held back his powerful desire to plunge further. "Are you okay, Bella?" he inquired. "Yes, Edward...please...keep going," she answered.

"Oh...god you feel so good, love. Mmmmm...Please tell me if it hurts," he said. He pulled back out with a grunt, then pushed back in a little further than before. Ah...still hot, wet and wonderful. He pulled out again, then pushed in a little more. She was tighter now, and he could feel some resistance. "Bella...I think this might hurt a little this time. It will help if you take a deep breath, and relax, dear."

Bella inhaled deeply, then rolled her shoulders, and caressed Edward's hips. "Go ahead, Edward. I'm ready." He then grasped her hips with both hands, pulled out of her, then pushed in as far as he could go. The resistance he felt earlier stretched out tighter, then finally popped free. Bella cried out with a whimper of pain, and a few tears leaked out of her clinched eyes. They both held very still, then locked eyes to gaze at one another.

Edward tenderly caressed her face, and gently kissed her lips. "I'm so sorry, my love. I hate hurting you like that." His eyes were tight and his brows were pulled in close. Bella smiled, and reached up to stroke his arms. "Edward, it's okay. We both knew that our first time would be difficult. We made it. Let's try to enjoy it now," she asked.

He then smiled, and said, "Oh...believe me...I'm definitely enjoying it." She then felt his erection quiver inside her, and she smiled in response. "Keep on enjoying it, handsome," she replied. Edward didn't need any more encouragement. His body knew what to do now. He placed his hands on the mattress beside her, as he moved his hips forward and back, sliding his shaft in and out of her. In a very short time, he reached his completion, pouring himself inside her in ecstasy. "Bella! Oh my god...ah!" he cried. He felt like his entire body was exploding inside her...like he was turned inside out.

He trembled with the aftershocks of his climax, then finally relaxed against her, holding most of his weight with his arms and knees. Bella moaned with pleasure, enjoying the feeling of her mate deep inside her, rejoicing in his satisfaction and release. "Edward, I love you," she proclaimed. "I love you too, Bella," he agreed.

Regretfully, he pulled out of her, then laid down beside her, wrapping his arms around her to hold her close. Tenderly, he stroked her lovely hair, and caressed her soft skin. "Forever, my love. I am yours, and you are mine...forever."


	3. Dealing with the Consequences

**Dealing with the Consequences**

Edward had to leave Bella's bed, so that he could be gone before Charlie got home from work. And Bella needed to make supper, and do her homework as well. He kissed her goodbye, then she watched him drive away, as she waved from her bedroom window. When he was gone, she gathered her torn clothes, put them in a bag to be discarded later, then went to take a quick shower.

The warm water was wonderfully relaxing as it flowed over her tender skin. She remembered how Edward's hands felt as he touched her body, how his lips and tongue felt in all her secret places. She moaned with pleasure, reliving their joining. Edward had really surprised her today. Of course, she knew why he acted this way - he was jealous of Adam Fields.

Adam Fields...wow. She could not believe that he was attracted to her. How many times had she fantasized about him back in Phoenix? All of her friends knew that she had a crush on him. They used to tease her mercilessly whenever he walked by during class or in the lunchroom. Some of the meaner girls at her old school would make fun of her for looking at him. "You don't stand a chance with him, Bella. He only goes for pretty and popular pussy."

If they could see her now. With two gorgeous guys wanting her...and one of them actually taking her to bed. Part of her wished that she could flaunt her success in front of those catty girls in Phoenix. But, what good would it do? Her relationship with Edward was private. And, it would only make Edward jealous, if Bella even mentioned Adam to anyone.

Then again...look at the reaction she got from him today when he was jealous.

Hmm...

Nah...she couldn't play with Edward's emotions like that. He was too precious to her. He loved her, and wanted to be with her forever. She was so lucky to have such a great guy as a boyfriend. She didn't want to mess it up. And Edward told her that he would turn her now! She was SO ready to be a vampire. Now, she wondered when it would be happening. Would she have to finish school? Would they have to move away from Forks? So many questions.

Suddenly, she heard the door opening downstairs. Charlie was home. She quickly finished her shower, dried off, pulled on her bathrobe, and stepped out into the hallway. "Hi Dad! I decided to take my shower early tonight. Let me get on my pj's, and I'll come down and make some supper for us."

"No worries tonight, Bells," her dad answered, "I think I'll call and order us a pizza or two. I'm expecting Billy and Jake to come for a visit in a while. There's a game we want to watch." Bella smiled, "Pizza sounds great! I'll just get to work on my homework. Thanks Dad!"

A few minutes later, Bella heard Billy and Jacob downstairs, and the television was soon blaring the start of the baseball game. Soon afterwards, the doorbell rang again, and the pizza was on the kitchen table. Bella came downstairs wearing her pajamas, bathrobe, and fuzzy slippers, to eat a few slices with everyone. Jake laughed at her big fluffy robe and slippers, and yanked the braid that was hanging down her back. "You sure look cute in that getup, Bells," he teased. She rolled her eyes at him, and took a huge bite of pizza, grabbing a can of cola out of the fridge. "You want a drink too, Jake?" she asked. "Sure," he answered, holding out his hand for the can.

She brought their drinks over to the table and had a seat beside him. "So, how are things going at the reservation?" she inquired. "Pretty good, I guess. But, I'm sick of how Sam keeps staring at me lately...like he knows some secret about me, or something. Freaks me the hell out," Jacob answered.

"I wonder what's up with him?" Bella said. "Who knows?" Jake muttered, "I just hope he gets over it, and leaves me alone. So, how about you? How's life at the pale face academy? Cullen still trying to claim you as his?"

"Well, Jake. He IS my boyfriend, you know - we're serious about each other. I think you just need to learn to accept him as being part of my life from now on," she replied. Jacob looked hurt, and suddenly concentrated very hard on all the ingredients on his pizza slice. "Well, I've had enough pizza. I think I'll go watch the game now," he said, rising to put his plate in the sink, then walking over to the sofa.

Bella didn't understand why he had looked offended about Edward. She thought he knew that they were serious. Surely, he wasn't jealous, was he? That would just be weird. She'd known Jake her whole life, and they had always been "just friends". Was he starting to be attracted to her now? What was up with everyone? Why were all the guys suddenly starting to fall for her? Where were all these guys a couple years ago?

She threw up her hands in disgust, picked up her plate, and went to wash the dishes. "Guys!" she grumbled. Charlie was walking to the fridge to grab another beer, and asked her "What about guys?" "Oh nothing, Dad. I'm just frustrated with guys in general, I guess," she said. "I'm gonna head back upstairs now. You guys have fun watching the game, okay?" She poked his side with a giggle, and he quickly grabbed her head to give her a noogie under his arm. She squealed in protest, then laughed as she escaped up the stairs. "Night Dad. See you later, Billy and Jake!" They told her goodnight, and she escaped to her room.

When she got to her room, she expected to find Edward. But he was nowhere in sight. She shrugged, and got to work on her school assignments. She really had no room to complain. I mean, they had SEX tonight. She should be satisfied with that. She giggled, and blushed, remembering their intimacy in this room just over an hour ago. _"Wow...I'm not a virgin anymore. I wonder if I look any different?"_ Walking over to her mirror, she stared at her reflection. No...she still looked like regular old Bella. But, she definitely felt different on the inside. She felt loved, nurtured, protected, cherished, and grown up. Yes, sex with Edward was a wonderful thing. She couldn't wait to do it again.

When Edward got home, he went straight to the dining room table. He could already hear everyone's thoughts, and forced himself to deal with his family right away. Of course, everyone already knew about him and Bella. He was sure that Alice had seen their decision to have sex today.

Jasper: "What was he thinking? She's still a human! What if he had injured her?"

Rosalie: "Oh, come on guys. You know how careful Edward is. I mean, he's practically a saint. I doubt that he even knows how to let go enough to cause an injury. He probably didn't even know what to do with her in bed."

Emmett: "Seriously? You're joking right? He's been waiting 90 years to have sex! I bet that her bed is not even standing anymore!"

Esme: "I hope that Bella is okay. I wonder if she's ever been to a gynecologist before? Maybe he should have waited until after she was turned. Has he decided to make her a vampire yet?"

Carlisle: "Well, I'm more concerned about the damage he did to Adam Fields today. I think the boy might have permanent injury to his face and brain now."

Edward walked in to the dining room, and was soon wrapped in a powerful embrace by his brother Emmett. "Alright Edward! You GO, my man! Finally got you some, eh?" Edward shook his head and grinned sheepishly. If vampires could blush...

"So, give us the facts. Is Bella okay?" asked Rosalie.

"Yes, Bella is fine. No injuries to report," he smirked, while rolling his eyes.

"Edward, I'm so happy for you," Esme said, as she pulled him in close for a hug.

Carlisle stood with his arms crossed, "Edward, I'm not so happy. Tell us what happened with Adam Fields, please."

Edward then told them how Adam had encroached upon Bella, kissing her, caressing her hair, and expecting to fulfill sexual fantasies with her. He told them that Bella had known Adam in Phoenix for most of her life, and had a crush on him before she moved to Forks. Edward then admitted that he was insanely jealous of the guy, and acted rashly by hitting him with such force.

Carlisle continued the conversation, "Well, I'm not sure how bad his injuries are yet, but it doesn't look good. We'll just have to see how things go over the next few days. Edward, I'm very disappointed with the way you handled things. Your actions today are completely out of character. You lashed out violently against another student, and you had sex with Bella while she is still human. I'm concerned about you, son."

Edward looked down and sighed heavily. "I know, Carlisle. I apologize to all of you for my selfishness. I don't know what came over me. I was just overwhelmed with jealousy, and then the jealousy apparently brought out my desire to mark Bella as mine. My lack of control really made a lot of things happen today. I'll do my best to work it out."

Rosalie added her two cents, of course, "Well, I just hope that you haven't caused us to be ostracized by the community. I don't want to move."

Edward grimaced in her direction, "Oh sorry, Rose. I forgot to ask your permission before I allowed myself to have feelings."

"Enough of that, you two," ordered Carlisle. "Edward, you need to watch your step right now. Let's not make this situation any worse. I'll do my best to deal with Adam and his father at the hospital, but you'll be facing him again at school eventually. You'd better discuss it with Bella, and make some plans."

Edward knew this, and was not really sure how they would handle it. But, he knew that it needed to be decided soon. He just hoped they did the right thing.


	4. Bella's Private Incubus

**Bella's Private Incubus**

Now that Edward had a taste for sex, he could not get it out of his mind. He now knew how soft Bella's skin was...how warm and wet she was in her most secret places...how delicious she was on his tongue...oh god...he had to have her again...tonight.

Jasper was frantic with desire, feeling Edward's longing and fantasies. Unintentionally, he was broadcasting the emotion to the entire household, and everyone was escaping to their rooms to be with their mate. Edward had experienced this many times over the past ninety years, and usually dealt with it by focusing on books, his journals, playing the piano, or mastering a new language. But, not tonight. He smirked, and jumped out the side window of his bedroom.

Within minutes, he was leaping into Bella's window, and standing over her bed. She was asleep, dreaming and moaning...saying Edward's name, and squirming all over the bed. He carefully pulled back her covers. She was wearing thin cotton pajamas. He silently removed his own clothing, placing them on the rocking chair. Next, he slowly pulled down her pajama pants and underwear, being careful not to wake her. She moaned his name, and rubbed her legs together tightly. He smiled.

Her pajama top was easily pushed aside, since there were buttons down the front. Now that she was revealed to him, he stood back to behold his lovely mate. Every inch of her was glorious to his eyes. Lovely. He could feast on her with his eyes for all eternity, and never be satisfied. She was designed especially for him, with every hidden desire revealed. He wouldn't change a thing about her.

Leaning down over her, he took one of her nipples into his mouth, gently sucking the tip between his lips, then stroking her with his tongue. She sighed with pleasure. Edward moved to her other breast, to show it the same attention. He then breathed vampire breath at her face to dazzle her, beguiling her with his immortal gifts. She remained in blissful sleep, chanting his name. Edward giggled, knowing that he wasn't really taking advantage of her. She wanted him just as much as he wanted her. He was just using his abilities to give them both pleasure.

He knew that he had about an hour before she would wake. The dose of vampire breath would keep her dazzled and dreaming for a while. If he were an incubus, he would have used this potion as a way to take advantage of humans for his own sexual fulfillment. Hmm...maybe he was Bella's own personal incubus? He chuckled, then climbed on top of her to act out his fantasy with her. She needed to sleep, so she would be able to go to school the next day. But he didn't need sleep at all.

He traced his fingers over her breasts again, and watched her nipples tighten in response. Her breasts were so beautiful and full - he loved the way they felt in his hands. He ran his tongue over them, around and around, then he sucked each nipple again. He just loved doing that. She felt so good in his mouth...very comforting and quite exciting.

Apparently the hour was almost up, because her breathing was changing. He gave her another dose of vampire breath. He needed another hour. He couldn't get enough of her. He moved down to get a close look at her beautiful wet center. He opened up her legs, and leaned in to see her sweet pink folds. So soft, velvety and moist. He knew that if she were awake, she would never allow him to examine her this closely. She would be too embarrassed. Right now, he didn't need any light. His vampire vision made everything crystal clear.

He studied every fold, touching, licking, caressing each part with his fingers, tongue and lips. He noticed her physical reactions with every touch. He found what gave her the greatest satisfaction, and stored it in his memory. He pulled aside the folds to find her clitoris, and gently laved it with the tip of his tongue, then lapped along it with his full tongue. He felt her entire body moving in response to this, and soon learned the perfect stroke for her ultimate release. He wondered if her body would remember all of the orgasms she had at his touch tonight. So far, he had given her ten in the past 30 minutes. He looked forward to showing her what he learned when she was fully awake.

He moved deeper into her center, past her vulva. Time to get to know her vagina now. He licked her opening from bottom to top, then stuck his tongue deep inside. She tasted divine. He looked forward to her upcoming menstrual cycle. It would be entirely selfish for him, but what vampire would pass that up? Free blood...no guilt. He was trembling in anticipation. He plunged his tongue in and out, and moved it all around in search of spots that might cause a reaction in her body. He discovered that Bella just liked it when he moved in and out of her...fucking her with his tongue. He'd remember that for later.

Now, he used his fingers instead, and soon found her G spot. That was what he was hoping for. He'd read about it, and wondered if he could find it. Now that he knew her body a bit better, and he'd given her 15 orgasms, he decided that it was time for his own release. He moved up her body, and slid his erection into her tight, wet center. Mmmmm...how divine. He ran his arms up behind her back, and wrapped his fingers over her shoulders for leverage. While pulling down on her shoulders, he thrust up with his hips - this was an excellent position.

He plunged in and out with short thrusts, then pushed further in to find her G spot. Ah...there it was. He kept himself at that position, then using vampire speed, he practiced making tiny fast thrusts in and out...so incredibly fast that it would feel like a vibrator for her. She had five more orgasms in quick succession. He smiled...his sex education with a working model was so much fun. Slowing his efforts to human speed, he made long powerful thrusts to reach his own orgasm, groaning with the release.

His second hour was almost up, but he needed more time. And Bella needed more sleep. So, he gave her one more dose of vampire breath. This was becoming a bad habit, but he couldn't help himself. He just wanted to know her completely.

He flipped her over on her belly, and studied her lovely bottom. Such a nice shape. Her body was beautiful everywhere. He kissed her back, and noticed that it was actually an erogenous zone for her. His tongue and fingers caressed the back of her neck, between her shoulder blades, and along her sides, then on the small of her back. Now, he slipped his tongue down between her butt cheeks, and felt her respond wonderfully. Ah...she was sensitive here as well. He tickled her anus with the tip of his tongue, and she moaned with delight.

He gently probed her with his tongue, and she writhed with a small orgasm. Interesting. Now, he flipped her back over to her back again. He decided to try some combinations. Probing one wet finger inside her anus, he gently thrust in and out with the tip of his finger, and licked her clitoris simultaneously. This was her most powerful orgasm yet. Bella's body was a wonderland, and he was enjoying the journey. He couldn't wait for her to wake up.

**Author's Note: Edward probably appears to be a pervert, invading Bella's privacy here. But, keep in mind that Edward has spent the last 90 years alone. That has messed him up a bit - especially since he has witnessed sex and fantasies by everyone else for all those years. Another thing to consider: Edward often fixates on topics that interest him, with scientific precision. He is just acting with his usual fascination, studying Bella with intense attention to detail. What girl wouldn't love having a guy take this amount of time figuring her out? I mean, come on - this one night he has caused her body to achieve more than 20 orgasms!**


	5. Angry Fathers

**Angry Fathers Investigate the Incident**

Adam Fields was in pain, bored, frustrated, and angry. He wanted to get out of this hospital, so he could find this guy who had broken his nose. His face was black and blue, and the pain was still intense, even after two days in the hospital. Apparently, his brain had been "bruised" by the punch. He had a violent headache because of this, and morphine was only slightly easing the pain.

Keeping his eyes closed helped some, but this only fed his boredom even more. His limited vision prohibited his watching football on the low tech television hanging in the corner of his room. He tried just listening to the game instead, but his head hurt too much to tolerate the noise. So, he angrily turned off the set, and just laid in bed with his eyes closed, imagining how he would injure the jerk who had hit him at school.

His parents were furious to see the damage done to their son, and decided to file a report with the authorities. They filled out the necessary paperwork at the front office, and were directed to the local police chief to take things further. Before going there, Adam's father called his lawyer, who agreed to meet them at the police station that afternoon.

Police Chief Charlie Swan greeted them all with a firm handshake, then asked Adam's parents to provide details about the incident. They had no idea who had done this to their son, and asked Chief Swan to investigate. They intended to sue for damages, and they also wanted to file a restraining order against the student, to keep him away from their son.

Chief Swan decided to send a deputy to the hospital, so he could get more information directly from the victim. After that interview, the deputy arrived back at Charlie's desk, with a look of hesitation and concern. "So...what did you find out, Quill?" Charlie asked.

Quill scratched the back of his head, and said, "Well, Chief...as it turns out..."

Charlie squinted his eyes, and leaned forward in his chair, "Yes deputy...I'm waiting..."

"Ah...well...the fight was over your daughter Bella," Quill said quickly, with a grimace, closing his eyes, and bracing himself for the chief's outburst.

"What?!" screamed Charlie. "How did she get involved with this?" His face was beet red, and he was gripping the arms of his chair so tight, that the veins in his arms popped out vividly.

Quill clenched his teeth, took a deep breath, blew it out, then finally spouted out the rest of the details, "Adam Fields knows Bella from Phoenix, and is quite attracted to her. Turns out that she had a big crush on him for the past 5 years. He was the captain of the football team at her school. He remembers how she used to watch him play football. He says that she's blossomed into quite a beauty now, and he was just showing his appreciation to her. He was playing basketball during gym, and some guy came out of nowhere, took him outside, and beat him up. He says the guy told him that Bella was his girl."

Charlie's lip came up into a furious snarl, "Edward..." He quickly stood, grabbed his pistol, stuffed it into his holster, then tore out the front door.


	6. Chief Swan Goes After Edward

**Chief Swan Goes After Edward**

Chief Charlie Swan was on a mission. He needed to find Edward Cullen, so he could teach him a lesson about anger management. If this was the kind of damage this boy could do to another human being, there was no way he would ever be allowed to have a relationship with Bella. He had no tolerance for bullies.

His police cruiser roamed the streets of Forks, as he drove to the hospital. Not finding Edward, he parked his car, locked the doors, then went inside. At the front desk, he asked to speak to Carlisle Cullen right away.

Carlisle's desk phone buzzed, and the front office told him that Chief Swan needed to see him. Carlisle answered, letting them know that he would be with them soon. Swiftly, he pulled out his cell phone, and called Alice.

"Yes Carlisle?" Alice answered. "Wanting to know how to deal with Chief Swan?"

"Exactly," said Carlisle. "What's going on with him?"

"Edward's what's going on. Charlie has apparently figured out that Edward is the one that hit Adam Fields. He has his gun, and he is very angry. He will tell Edward to never see Bella again."

"Oh no," Carlisle sighed, "I was afraid this would happen. I'll see what I can do to smooth things over." He disconnected the call, and rose to walk to the front lobby.

Charlie was angrily pacing back and forth in the front lobby, with his hands on his hips. As soon as Carlisle came into the room, he walked directly to him. "Where's Edward?" he demanded. Carlisle held out both hands in a calming gesture, saying, "I believe that he's just arrived home from school right now, Chief Swan. Is there something I can help you with?"

Charlie gritted his teeth in frustration. "I really need to talk to Edward. It seems that he has caused a serious injury to a new student at Forks High School. I am concerned about his uncontrolled anger, and want him to stay away from my daughter."

Carlisle opened the door, asking Charlie to come to his office, so they could discuss the matter in private. Charlie followed him down the hall, fuming every step of the way. When they arrived at Carlisle's office, Chief Swan refused to have a seat, and commenced pacing again. Carlisle asked, "Chief Swan, are you sure that Edward has done this? Which student was injured?"

Charlie replied, "It's Adam Fields. I believe he is here at the hospital?"

Carlisle answered, "Oh yes, I do recall seeing Adam arrive here a couple days ago. Why do you think that Edward is the one who caused the injury?"

Charlie replied, "One of my deputies interviewed Adam today, and he said that some guy hit him, telling him that Bella was his girl. It has to be Edward."

"Not necessarily," Carlisle answered. "My son Edward has told me that several young men at the school are claiming that Bella is their girl. Edward is always telling us about all the other boys who are wanting to date her. In fact, I believe that one of them showed up at your house on prom night, expecting her to be his date?"

Charlie covered his face with his hand, "You're right. I forgot about that. I guess I'd better investigate things a little more before I over-react. Sorry to bother you." With that, Chief Swan turned, walked out the door, then got in his car.

Carlisle immediately pulled out his phone again, to call Edward. "Edward...answer...pick up the phone...Edward..."

_**Edward's POV**_

Edward was in the midst of showing Bella some of the tricks he had learned the night before, and she was moaning with intense pleasure. He smiled, and asked, "How do you like that, babe?" Bella groaned loudly, "Oh my god, Edward. Where did you learn to do that?" Wiggling his eyebrows, he replied, "I've been doing some research. I'm glad you like it." She sighed, "Oh wow...PLEASE do some more research!" He laughed, then pulled her close while thrusting deep inside her again.

Suddenly, they heard Alice outside, screaming Edward's name. "Edward! ANSWER THE DAMN PHONE!"

Edward hopped up and grabbed his phone, reading Carlisle's name on the display, "Yes Carlisle?" Carlisle then told Edward that he'd better get out of Bella's house right away, because Charlie was probably on his way home, and was not in a good mood. He also told Edward to tell Bella to plead ignorance about Adam Fields.

Edward disconnected the phone, threw on his clothes, told Bella to not say anything about Adam Fields, then hopped out the window, grabbed Alice, jumped in his car, and drove home immediately.

Bella quickly found her clothes, and ran to the bathroom, because she could now hear Charlie's car pulling up to the house.

The front door was thrown open. "Bella? Is Edward here?" Charlie demanded. Bella threw on her clothes, brushed her hair, flushed the toilet, then came walking out of the bathroom, "Dad! You're home early! Is everything okay?"

Charlie growled, "No. Everything is NOT okay. There is a young man from your school who was injured very seriously a couple days ago by a guy who says that you are his girl. The only guy I know of who fits that description is Edward."

Bella lifted her eyebrows in surprise. "Really? I heard that the new guy was hurt at school, but I didn't see who did it. And there are a lot of guys who think that I am their girl. I'm always telling them to leave me alone. Edward is my boyfriend, but the other guys refuse to believe it."

Charlie harrumphed, then went to grab a beer from the refrigerator. "Tell me more about this Adam Fields."

She then told him all she knew about Adam, how he came from her school in Phoenix. She told Charlie about how Adam has surprised her at school, and grabbed her hair and kissed her. Charlie didn't like the sound of this. "This new guy sounds like a jerk. Maybe I shouldn't be so mad at whoever hit him. It sounds like maybe he deserved it."

Bella agreed, "Yeah. I was very uncomfortable around him. He was pressing me against a locker, and telling me that he thought I was hot. He said some very suggestive things to me."

Charlie took a deep breath, and tried to calm down. "Well, his parents are pursuing legal action against whoever hit their son. And they are filing a restraining order as well. We just need to figure out who hit their son."

Bella promised to ask around at school, to see if anyone saw anything. "Dad, why don't you just relax and not worry about it anymore tonight. You seem very upset. I'd hate for your blood pressure to get too high. Remember what the doctor told you at your last physical?"

"Okay Bella...enough of that. I don't need you to nag me," Charlie reprimanded her. "I'll just see what I can figure out on my own. Let's go to the diner for supper tonight. Maybe someone there saw something."

Bella went upstairs to grab her purse, and sent a quick text to Edward (_Smoothing things over. Don't worry_). Then, she ran back downstairs, hugged her dad, and said, "Okay, let's go Dad."


	7. Adam Dreams of Bella

**Adam Dreams of Bella**

I am bored out of my mind in this hospital, and my head is hurting so bad. I think I'll use my imagination for entertainment. Perhaps thinking about Bella Swan will help ease my pain? Hmm.

I think back to when I found her standing in the hallway at Forks High School. She had been walking away from me, heading to the gym at the time. What a sweet ass she has...and that silky hair dangles just above it. I imagine her wearing a short skirt and high heels...

_She steps over to the water fountain, and leans over for a sip, her ass cheeks peeking out under her skirt, barely covered in lace-edged panties. I step up behind her, and lightly caress the bottom edge of that sexy ass with the tip of my finger. She trembles and moans, and pushes up on the tip of her toes to push her ass out a little more, looking over her shoulder at me - her eyelids lowered in desire. She titters and winks, "Oh Adam...you know exactly how to touch me."_

_"You know I do, Bella," I groan. Her hips are moving ever so slightly, just enough to get my attention. I'm standing close behind her, and place my hands on those gorgeous hips. My cock is thick, hard, and throbbing. I push my dick lightly up against her perfect ass, and nudge it up and down on the back of her silky panties, making her moan and wiggle a little more. I lean forward and bury my face in her silky hair, my left hand reaches around to squeeze her tits, and I slip my right hand under her skirt, between her legs. _

_Her panties are soaking wet. I slip my fingers under the lacy edge and push one finger inside her pussy lips. Her little clit is already throbbing and swollen - it only takes a few swipes from my finger to make her explode and quiver. Her cum gushes out, making her velvet hole even more wet than it was before. I reach in my pocket, pull out my knife, and slice open her panties. She gasps with excitement, as I open the front of my pants, releasing my dick. I feel her nipples pushing against my left palm, so I grip them between my fingers until she cries out my name._

_"Adam, please. Fuck me. I want you to fuck me over and over again," she begs. She leans forward and grasps the sides of the water fountain. I use both hands to grab her legs, pulling her up a little higher, so my cock can glide right in. Fucking beautiful. I thrust into her so hard that she screams with pleasure. She's never had a fuck this good before, and begs me to push deeper and harder. I'm plunging in and out of her so deep and hard, my balls are slapping against her pussy lips, making her grunt._

_I can feel her coming again, pulsing hard around my cock, milking me and stroking me and squeezing my dick hard and slippery wet and hot pussy-velvet. Ungh...I'm coming now, and she can feel my cock quiver against her cunt lips. My cum is shooting so deep inside her...Sweet fuck..._

"Mr. Fields, it's time to check your blood pressure and pulse again." The nurse is fat, and middle-aged, with some teeth missing. Ugh. Way to cock-block my fantasy. Thanks a lot.

Yeah. The headache is back again. Let's get this over with, old lady. I close my eyes, and moan from the pain. "What is your pain level, son?" she asks "From 1 to 10, how would you rate it?"

"Fucking 12," I moan. Her eyes pop open, and she gives me a shot of something...I don't know. Whatever it is, I like it. It's working hard and fast. I'm feeling alright now - floating on a sea of warm ecstasy. I'm gonna remember that pain level thing from now on. Maybe the hospital won't be so bad.


	8. Bella's Bodyguards

**Bella's Bodyguards**

Bella was relaxing in her room, reading ahead in her English Literature assignment, trying to escape into the historical setting without much success. The words were all merging together, turning into absolute nonsense. With a sigh, she flung the book across the room, in the general direction of her desk, causing an avalanche of books to fall to the floor.

Within seconds, her dad was standing in her doorway, one arm holding aside the door, the other arm extended with his pistol gripped in his hand. Bella immediately dove to the floor on the other side of her bed, screaming with fear.

Her dad's eyebrows came down in confusion, looking around the room, until he noticed the pile of books that had collapsed beside her desk. He then proceeded to holster his weapon. "Grr...just books! I thought that someone was attacking you." Bella's eyes appeared over the edge of her mattress, staring across the room at her father. Her hands were fisted under her chin, and her shoulders were trembling.

"I'm sorry, Bells. I didn't mean to frighten you, sweetie." He carefully walked around to the other side of the bed, then knelt down on the floor beside his frightened daughter. "Are you okay?" A few tears escaped her eyes, and trickled down her cheeks. She nodded, with her eyes closed, then leaned into Charlie's arms. He embraced her, and settled his chin on top of her head. "I know I'm a bit overprotective, Bells. I'm just on edge about that guy from school. I'll try to ease up a bit," he promised, as he stroked her long brown hair.

Charlie helped Bella to her feet, and led her back onto her bed, taking a seat beside her, and holding her hand. "So, how about those Marlins?" he joked. Bella collapsed into nervous giggles, wiped her eyes, then stuck out her tongue at her dad. "Dad, you really need to chill, okay? I don't want either of us to have a heart attack," she teased. They both laughed at this, then Charlie kissed the side of her head, saying, "Okay...I'm gonna get ready for bed now. Thanks for going to the diner with me tonight. Finish up your homework, and go to sleep soon."

Bella nodded in accord, then watched her dad walk out, closing her door as he left. Shaking her head, and rolling her eyes, she groaned, "Fathers...ugh!" She then heard someone chuckle outside, then noticed Edward's head peeking up at her window. Covering her mouth, she raised her eyebrows, and pointed at him, then turned over her hand, beckoning him to come in with her wiggling pointer finger. Edward whispered, "Is the coast clear?" Bella shook her head and smiled, rolling her eyes again, whispering, "Yes, silly...get in here!"

He carefully stepped into her room, then tiptoed across the floor very dramatically, lifting his eyebrows, and looking left and right. Bella wrapped her arms across her belly, and lay down in bed, rolling back and forth silent mirth. "Stop it, Edward!" she quietly hissed. He grinned and wiggled his eyebrows, then sat on the edge of her bed. "How's my beautiful girl?" he asked, as he gently stroked her back.

Leaning in to give her a sweet kiss on her neck, he then nuzzled his head around, breathing in her scent luxuriously. "Mmmm...Bella. Your scent is wicked. If I didn't love you so much, I would sip every ounce of you out of this gorgeous neck." He pulled away, shaking his head back and forth two times with regret, "Heavenly aroma, my dear." His eyes were bright yellow from a recent feeding, so she knew she had nothing to worry about. Plus, he loved her...she was his mate. She wasn't a bit afraid - just highly aroused. Having a vampire as a boyfriend added an enticing edge of danger and excitement to her life.

Sitting up, she reached out to place her hands on his cheeks, then pursed her lips for a fun smack. He played along, saying "Ah!" as their lips came apart, then he winked and pulled her into a hug. "I just love you so much, Isabella." They embraced for the next few minutes, gently rocking back and forth. Bella then told Edward all about her evening with her father, how they had gone for dinner together, and then she shared the details of their discussion.

"So, we've bought some time for now, then," Edward said, "but I know that as soon as Adam sees me, he will put two and two together, and tell everyone that I was the one who hit him." Bella agreed, "Yeah...that sucks. I wonder how long he will be in the hospital?" Edward replied, "My dad will let us know the moment he is released, and then we'll just have to figure out what to do."

Bella was worried. "Edward, Dad says that Adam's parents are going to file a lawsuit, and get a restraining order. What if you won't be able to go to school with me? What are we going to do?" Edward pulled her close, "We'll cross that bridge when we get to it, babe. Don't worry about it now." Caressing her arm, he held her against his chest, humming her lullaby with his deep, calming, velvet voice. Bella's eyes became heavy, and she laid down on her pillow. Edward wrapped her up in her blanket, kissed her head, then settled down in the rocking chair beside the window. Soon, he heard her deep, even breathing, and gentle snores.

Pulling out his cellphone, he sent a text to Alice. He spent the next few hours discussing the "Adam situation" with different members of his family, by sending text after text with his lightning fast fingers. They needed to figure out a way to correct this problem. He felt really bad about causing this dilemma, but eased his conscience by remembering the prior careless acts of his brothers and sisters. This was just a new problem, added to the Cullen list of issues over the past hundred years. They would make it work...somehow.

As the sun began to rise over the horizon, he stood up, put away his phone, stepped over to the bed, and gently shook Bella awake, "Wake up, beautiful...good morning!" Bella sat up, yawned, stretched out her arms, then wrapped them around her gorgeous boyfriend. He gently kissed her nose, and told her that he would come back soon to take her to school in his car. Releasing her with another hug, he stepped to the window, hopped out and flew across the yard to run home.

Bella smiled, yawned again, then got out of bed. She was looking forward to seeing Edward again, but needed to spend some time with her dad this morning. She decided to make pancakes for breakfast. After taking a short trip to the bathroom, she went downstairs, then stepped into the kitchen. On the table was a black rose, with a handwritten note...written in blood.

Bella covered her mouth to silence her scream, then stepped forward, threw away the black rose, and quickly grabbed the note to read it before Charlie came downstairs.

_Isabella Swan, _

_Your school does not hide their student records very well. Finding your house was incredibly simple, but I was very disappointed to find your detestable boyfriend guarding you as you slept. I am greatly anticipating our reunion...very soon._

_- Victoria_


	9. Bella Runs

**Bella Runs**

Bella panicked. _Victoria was here for me? Oh my god!_

She folded up the note, and stuffed it in her pocket, then ran upstairs, packed a suitcase, and pulled out her cell phone to call a taxi. She didn't want to get Edward or the Cullens involved. She was going to run away to Phoenix.

The drive to Phoenix gave Bella plenty of time to think about her life. So many problems were created by her moving to Forks. Adam Fields had moved there, and Edward had severely injured him. The Cullens would have to move if Adam pointed the finger at him. But, if Bella wasn't there, then Adam would never see her and Edward together, so he would never figure out who his attacker was. And now Victoria had found her there, and apparently wanted to kill her.

Bella needed to protect her family and friends from Victoria. She would stay away from her dad, as well as the Cullens. She also would avoid her mom's house. She had other friends in Phoenix, who would be happy to take her in. Kelly Ambrose for one. She still had her number in her cell, so she sent her a text. Kelly replied, saying that she would love to have Bella visit, and looked forward to seeing her that evening after school.

Bella was in the middle of sending Kelly another text, when her phone rang, displaying Edward's name. "Hello?" Bella squeaked out. "Bella! Where are you?!" Edward groaned. "I'm here at your house to take you to school, and you're not here. Charlie is worried sick. What's going on?"

Bella took a deep breath, and decided to make things easy for Edward and Charlie to get over her. "Edward, I've decided that I don't like living in Forks. I've run away. Don't try to find me, please."

"What?! Bella! NOOOO!" Edward cried. "What's going on? What happened? I thought you loved me, Bella! I can't live without you! Tell me where you are!"

Bella closed her eyes, while tears flowed down her cheeks. She took another breath, closed her eyes, and told the biggest lie she would ever express, "I don't love you, Edward. I've just been pretending. I can't stand living this way anymore."

"No! Bella! It's not true!" Edward groaned. "Please, Bella! Come back! I'll do anything!"

Bella said, "Goodbye Edward," then disconnected the call. When he tried to call back, she hit the ignore button, then turned off the sound. When she kept seeing his calls displayed on the screen, she finally turned off the phone completely, and put it in her purse. "It's for the best, Edward. Your life will be much better without me."

She opened the window of the taxi, pulled out the note from Victoria, wadded it up, and tossed it outside. Closing the window, she leaned over in the seat. Using her suitcase as a pillow, she cried fitful tears, eventually falling to sleep until she reached her destination.

_Edward's POV_

"Come on, Bella. Answer the phone! Damn it!" I shoved the phone in my pocket, then looked up at Charlie. "She's turned it off...she's turned it off..." Charlie looked at me with haunted eyes, clenched his jaw, squeezed his eyes tight to fight away the tears, then got in his police cruiser to drive to the station.

I didn't know what to do. Looking up at the sky, I bit my lower lip in frustration, and ran my fingers through my hair. "What is she doing?" Walking back and forth in front of her house was getting me nowhere, so I decided to look in her room, to see if I could figure anything out there. Maybe she had talked to a friend on her computer, and I could hack into the discussion? Wait a minute...why didn't Alice see this happening?

I pulled out my cell and called her. "Alice! Bella has run away. Didn't you see this in your vision?" Alice was distraught, "NO! Oh my god, Edward! She must have made a very quick decision to do this. Something must have happened to cause her to run. Let me focus a minute...She just threw a piece of paper out of the taxi window. I can see her getting out of a taxi in Phoenix in the future. But, she's not at her mom's house. She's hugging a girl I've never seen before."

"Thanks Alice. At least you can see her. Just keep watching her for me. We have to figure this out." I closed the phone, and hopped up through Bella's window. Stepping inside, I went over to her computer, and turned it on. This ancient machinery would take forever to look through. When it finally came on, I opened up Internet Explorer, which was the only browsing option for this system. _Windows 98? Dial up? Crap! Why haven't I ever noticed this before?_ When the internet finally loaded, 20 pop ups appeared across the screen.

The pop ups were still loading, so I decided to search the house until they stopped. Walking into the hallway, my vampire senses immediately flared. Victoria! Crouching to a defensive stance, I glided downstairs, opening up my mind and senses to their highest sensitivity. But, she was not here. It was just her scent. Hmm... I followed the scent, and noticed that it was concentrated at the kitchen table. Reaching down, I swiped my fingers across the table, then lifted them up to my nose. Water, kitchen cleanser, paper, a flower (rose)...human blood?! Why was there human blood on the table? Thankfully, it wasn't Bella's blood. I would recognize that scent anywhere.

Stepping across the floor, I found the fragrance of the rose coming from the trash can. When I looked inside...there it was. A black rose. Why did I smell blood? Did Victoria injure someone here, threatening Bella? That could possibly explain Bella's immediate departure. I growled in anger, slamming my fists together. "Why won't you answer your phone, Bella?! Fuck!"

Pulling out my phone, I called Carlisle, who answered on the second ring. "Yes son?" he said. "Carlisle, Bella has run away, and Victoria is here in Forks again," I told him. Carlisle sighed, then said, "Son, let's meet with the family this afternoon when school gets out. We'll make some plans, and see what we can do." I lowered my head in defeat, knowing that I was asking too much of my family. They had already rescued Bella once before, and she apparently did not want to be rescued now. I was so disheartened, but tried to keep a stiff upper lip. "Thank you Father. See you later."

Disconnecting the call, I placed the phone back in my pocket. There was no way I could pretend to be a student today. I decided to just would wait at home for the others. Before leaving Bella's house, I went upstairs to her bedroom. I leaned in close to her bed, and wiped my hand across her sheets, picking up some of Bella's stray long brown hairs. Winding them around my fingers, I placed them in my shirt pocket. Her computer had finally finished loading all the pop up ads, so I clicked them closed one at a time.

I then hacked into her system, and searched for recent activity, finding absolutely nothing of interest. She rarely used this computer. She didn't chat - she only used it for school research, and emails with her mom. None of those emails showed any indication for her running away. I turned off the computer. It was worthless.

Stepping over to her bulletin board, I found a recent photo of the two of us. This went in my pocket as well. I then looked in her laundry hamper for the shirt and panties she had worn the day before. Her scent was strongest on these. I brought them up to my face, and breathed in her scent, moaning and sighing in agony. "Bella...please, come back to me..."


	10. Runaway Blues

**Runaway Blues**

When Bella arrived at Kelly's house, she was exhausted from her journey. Kelly hugged her friend, and helped her with her suitcase. "Bella, you look so tired. I bet you're hungry too. Mom! Bella Swan is here. Can you fix her something to eat?" Kelly's mother Samantha came to the door, took one look at Bella, and wrapped her arms around her. "Come in the house, poor girl. You look like you've been through a storm!"

They took Bella to the kitchen, sat her at the breakfast nook, and Samantha quickly served her some eggs, ham, toast, and milk. Bella ate every bite, and almost fell asleep in her chair. "Kelly, let's take Bella to the guest room, so she can sleep," Samantha ordered. Together, they helped her down the hall, settling her on the bed, and pulling up the covers.

She immediately fell asleep, and they pulled the door closed. "I wonder why she came here?" Kelly's mom asked. "I'm not sure. She didn't go into any details," Kelly answered. "Well, I'm going to find out," said Samantha. She pulled out last year's school directory, and found the address and phone number listed for Bella's mom Renee. But, when she tried the number, there was a recording, saying the number was no longer in service.

Kelly said, "Mom, maybe you should wait until Bella wakes up before you try to call her parents. Maybe she needs some privacy. Maybe that's why she came here." Samantha looked into her daughter's eyes. "Alright Kelly, I'll give her until tomorrow. If she doesn't tell us the story, I'm calling information for Renee's number."

-_T-N-G_-

Adam was finally able to sit up in bed now, without his head exploding in pain. He was able to watch television now too, and it was tuned to a football game. He kept his eyes glued to the tiny screen, occasionally yelling at the officials when he didn't agree with one of their calls. As a commercial was airing, Dr. Cullen walked into the room, turning down the volume, so he could talk to Adam. "So, how are you feeling today, Adam?" Adam glared at him, angry that he had touched the volume on the television, "I'm getting better, doc. When can I go home?"

"Shouldn't be too much longer. We just need to do another brain scan tomorrow morning, to make sure the damage is healed," Carlisle replied. The game had come back on, and Adam was trying to look around Carlisle, so he could watch it again.

"Well," said Carlisle, "I guess I'll leave you to your game now." He turned the volume back up a little, but not as loud as it was before, then he walked out the door, pulling the door closed as he left. Adam grabbed the remote, and turned it up louder again, then commenced yelling at the officials once more.

-_T-N-G_-

When Carlisle got home from the hospital, the entire family gathered at the dining room table. Everyone was concerned about Bella, and they were also worried about Victoria's recent appearance in Bella's house. Adam Fields was a minor concern now, but he was still an issue to be reckoned with.

"Okay," Carlisle began. "What's the story with Bella?" Edward told them about the rose he had found in Bella's house, and how he had smelled paper and human blood at the kitchen table, along with Victoria's scent.

Jasper said, "I bet that Victoria wrote her a note, written in blood, to scare her."

Edward slapped his hand to his forehead, "Brilliant, Jasper. I should have thought of that. Maybe that's what she threw out the taxi window, Alice."

Alice agreed, "I think you're probably right. Maybe if I concentrate on that vision, I'll be able to see a road sign or other landmark."

Edward nodded, "Yes, Alice. Concentrate on that. Alice says that Bella is staying with a girlfriend, but we don't know her name or address. I would like to follow her scent tonight, and possibly find this friend. Would anyone like to come with me to help out?"

Emmett offered to come, and Rosalie said, "Fine. But, I'm staying here." Edward didn't expect any more of Rose, so he just shrugged, and moved onto the next topic of discussion.

"Can the rest of you stay here and watch for Victoria? I'm concerned about Charlie, since Victoria has been inside their house," Edward requested.

Carlisle agreed, and said that he and Esme would trade off with Alice and Jasper to watch the town and Charlie's house. Rosalie would remain behind to guard the Cullen residence.

Everyone had a plan now. They decided to take the next few days away from school, so they could focus on these issues. This would keep the Adam Field situation on the back burner, since he would not be in contact with Bella or Edward.

Alice had been holding her hands to her head as she focused on the vision of Bella in the taxi. Suddenly she waved her hands, "I know the taxicab number! It's RP1793."

Edward pulled out his laptop to look up cab companies for Forks, and was pleased to see that there was only one. This was going to be easy. He called Charlie, gave him the cab number, so he could use his authority as Police Chief to get the full travel details of that particular cab for today. For the first time, Edward was feeling confident that he would get Bella back home very soon.

He and Emmett ran out to the garage, and hopped into Emmett's Jeep. They would possibly need off-road access to get to their destination quickly. Emmett grinned as they strapped in. "Hang on, Edward. Let's get your mate back." Edward grimaced, and held onto the side bar. "Let's just get going," he demanded.

-_T-N-G_-

Charlie was a nervous wreck. He had spent the day sending out alerts nationwide, with a photo of Bella. Since she was still 17 for just a few more days, he wanted to take advantage of her minor status, to get as much attention as possible. When she turned 18, she would legally be an adult, and he wouldn't get as much cooperation in the other states.

When Edward called with her taxicab number, Charlie was flabbergasted. How did the kid know what her cab number was? Regardless, he called the cab company, and requested a full report on the travel details for that particular cab. The guy at the taxicab company was a real smartass, saying that it would take a week to get that information.

Charlie turned into an even worse smartass, and lambasted the guy with language that embarrassed every deputy, cadet, and office worker within hearing range. He let the guy know that he was dealing with the Chief of Police, and his DAUGHTER had been in that cab. He mentioned that she was a minor, running away from home, and he expected their full cooperation on this ASAP. At this point, he was getting what he asked for. The guy said that he would call back within the hour.

Charlie slammed down the phone, leaned back in his chair, and yelled for someone to bring him another goddamn cup of coffee. Feet shuffled quickly, and coffee immediately appeared on Chief Swan's desk. "Thank you," he grumbled, "Now get back on checking with those federal agencies for runaways!" They all shouted, "Yes sir!"

-_T-N-G_-

It was time for another commercial break, and Adam snarled. "Fucking commercials. I wish this hospital carried ESPN." He buzzed for the nurse, so he could get another dose of painkillers. The nurse came into the room, asked what he needed, and he said that his pain was still awful, so she gave him another shot. As she walked out, Adam smiled, feeling the warm effects of the happy drug flowing through his veins. "Mmmmmm..." he moaned.

_"We interrupt this broadcast, for the following news bulletin. A runaway has been reported in Forks, Washington. If anyone has information about Isabella Marie Swan, age 17, brown eyes, brown hair, please contact your local authorities."_ A photo of Bella was showing on the television, and Adam smiled, enjoying her face through his glazed, low-lidded, intoxicated eyes. "Oh yeah...there's my girl," he breathed, as his eyes slowly closed. He was soon snoring, while dreaming of Bella doing everything he asked her to do to him.

-_T-N-G_-

Before Charlie heard back from the cab company, he decided to bite the real bullet and deal with the thing he dreaded the most: calling Renee.

He pulled out his cell phone, and called her private number. "Charlie? Is Bella okay?" she squeaked. "Well, that's why I'm calling. She's run away again," he replied. "Oh no! My little girl! Charlie, what is wrong with you? Why can't you take better care of my girl?!"

Charlie leaned on his desk, with his head in his hand, while he listened to her whine and scream, as he forced himself to take deep breaths. When her tirade finally came to an end, he told her all that he knew about the situation.

"I'm coming there right now!" she screamed. "NO RENEE!" he screamed, "Bella might be coming to you! You need to stay where you are!" Renee sighed in frustration, "Oh, you're probably right. I bet she just misses her mother. I wonder why she hasn't called?"

Charlie rolled his eyes, saying, "I don't know Renee. But if you see her, please let us know. There is a nationwide alert going out today. Goodbye."

Hanging up the phone, he settled back in his chair and rubbed his eyes. "Bella...why did you do this, girl?" he moaned.


	11. To EverythingTurn, Turn, Turn

**To Everything...Turn, Turn, Turn**

When Carlisle arrived at the hospital the next morning, he saw Adam Fields being escorted out the front door with his parents. "Mr. Fields, I wanted to run another brain scan on Adam this morning before he left," Carlisle said.

Samuel Fields angrily replied, "Adam is no longer your concern, Dr. Cullen. We are moving back to Phoenix, and taking Adam with us. We don't believe that Adam is welcome in this town." They walked out with their heads held high. Unbeknownst to Carlisle, the real reason they were moving back was because Mr. Fields transfer to Washington had fallen through, and he was being sent back to his old job.

Carlisle scratched his head, wondering why they were acting so offended, but he figured that at least Adam was no longer a problem for his family. Wait! Edward is on the road to Phoenix right now too...and Bella is already there. Crap! He quickly walked to his office, pulled the door closed, and called Edward.

Edward answered the phone on the first ring. "Yes Carlisle?" Carlisle then told him the news about Adam moving back to Phoenix. Edward groaned, "What ELSE is going to go wrong today? I really don't fucking need this!"

Carlisle intoned, "Language, Edward... Just keep your eyes open, and don't hit him again!" Edward agreed, then disconnected the call. He then told Emmett the news, and Emmett just laughed, shaking his head. This is like one of those crazy fucked up movies where the good guys always end up in insanely bizarre situations, you know?

"Yeah, I know," Edward sighed.

Edward's phone rung again, and he grimaced before answering, "Hello?" It was Alice, "Mile Marker 14! Mile Marker 14!"

Now, at least something was possibly going to turn out right. They were now at mile marker 11, so they slowed down, to see if they could find the piece of paper that Bella had tossed out the cab window.

-_T-N-G_-

Bella woke up from a deep sleep, and was completely confused by her surroundings. Panic set in, and she tore out of bed, fell to the floor, stumbled back up, and opened the door. Her friend Kelly ran to her side, "What's wrong, Bella?"

Bella breathed out with relief. "Oh! I forgot where I was. When I didn't recognize the room, I freaked out. Oh my gosh, Kelly...ugh...I think I just started my period. Do you have anything I can use? I only brought some clothes with me." Kelly gave her a gentle hug, "Of course, my friend. It's all there in the cabinet in the bathroom. Help yourself."

Bella stepped back into her room to get a change of clothes, then walked across the hall to the bathroom. Yuck...she hated getting her period in a strange house. She just felt so dirty and exhausted and crummy. And her emotions were flying all over the place. So many things had gone wrong in the past few days. The situation with Adam, and now the sudden crazy appearance of Victoria. On top of that, she was just starting a sexual relationship with her boyfriend.

Her boyfriend...Why in the world did she break up over the phone with Edward yesterday? Her emotions really were going wacko. Poor Edward. She needed to call him right now, and hopefully fix this mess. But, she still wanted to stay away from Forks until the thing with Adam calmed down. She stepped into the shower, washed off, then took care of her period stuff, got dressed, and used Kelly's hair dryer to dry her hair.

She washed her underwear in the sink, then rolled it up in the towel to dry, so she could carry it to her room, and hang it to dry. What a mess. She wondered if Kelly had some Midol. She looked in the medicine cabinet. Thank you, God! She shook out a couple pills, and downed them with a handful of water.

Stepping back into her temporary room, she found a hanger in the closet and hung up her wet undies to dry on the closet door handle. After making her bed, she walked down the hall to the kitchen, to find Kelly and her mom waiting for her. "Feeling okay, Bella?" Kelly asked. "Yeah, much better now. Thank you both for letting me stay," she said. Samantha had pancakes ready for breakfast, and Bella was very thankful for the meal.

She offered to help wash dishes, but Kelly's mom shushed her away. "I just need to know if you're okay, Bella. Do you need to call your mom?" Bella's eyes widened, "NO! I mean, No...I'd rather talk to my dad, but I'll do it later. I just need to work some things out first." Samantha was concerned, but told Bella that she would give her a couple days, and then they would have to call her parents. Bella nodded in resignation, then told them she needed to go lay back down for a while.

Kelly followed her to her room, and asked if she needed anything else, like a heating pad, or anything. Bella said, "No thanks. I think I just mostly need rest. I did take some of your Midol, though." Kelly smiled, and winked. "I'm glad to help, my friend. It's great to see you again. I've missed you." Bella cried a few tears, and hugged her old friend. "You are the greatest, Kelly." Kelly said, "Ah, don't mention it," then she walked back to the kitchen.

When Bella got back to her room, she looked in her purse for her cell phone. It took a while to find it, because it was deep in bottom, buried under everything else. Funny...the screen was blank. Oh crap! She had turned it off yesterday! She turned it back on, and noticed that the battery was low. Bah! She forgot to pack her charger. There were tons of calls and voicemails from Charlie and Edward. Afraid that the battery would die soon, she wrote down the numbers for everyone she needed to call, then picked up the landline extension sitting on the nightstand in her room.

It had been ages since she'd used an "old-fashioned" phone like this. She chuckled as she punched in all the numbers to call Edward. He answered on the third ring, with a hesitant, "Hello?"

"Edward!" she cried.

"Bella? Is that you? Are you okay, babe? Where are you?" he asked.

"I'm okay, I guess. But, I owe you an apology. I'm so sorry I left like that yesterday. I don't know what my mind was doing. I think I was just going a little crazy, with all the stuff going on with Adam and Victoria. And I just started my period, so I guess that's part of the reason for my insanity. Will you forgive me for being so weird?" she asked.

"Baby, I will always forgive you. I just need to be with you, Bella. Where are you? Emmett and I are driving toward Phoenix, but we don't know where exactly to go." Edward replied.

Bella closed her eyes, and sighed. Her crazy vampire boyfriend was coming to rescue her again. She should have known better than to think that she could get away from him.

"Bella? Are you still there?" he asked.

"Yes, Edward. I'm here. Can you guys stop to hunt for a while or something? Don't rush here. I need about a day to just relax and think about everything, okay?" she requested.

"Well...I guess so, babe. I was hoping to see you soon, though. I...I miss you so bad, Bella."

"I know, sweetheart. Just...trust me on this. I just want some quiet time."

"Okay Bella. We'll stop to hunt. But, I need your street address first, before you hang up."

She gave him the address for Kelly's house, then told him goodbye, disconnected the call, then called her dad.

"Forks Police Department, may I help you?"

"Hi Sue!" said Bella.

"Bella! OH MY GOD! CHARLIE! BELLA IS ON THE PHONE! NO, I AM NOT SHITTING YOU! IT'S BELLA! Okay! Okay! I'll transfer the call. Hang on Bella...sorry for screaming in your ear, honey."

"Bella, what the hell happened to you?" screamed her dad. "Why did you run away from home again? WHY DIDN'T YOU LET ME KNOW WHERE YOU WERE GOING?"

"Dad! Dad! Please let me talk!" Bella interjected. "I just went a little crazy yesterday, worrying about Adam Fields. I just didn't feel safe in town, you know? I'm sorry I over-reacted. I'm with a good friend of mine in Phoenix, and they are letting me stay here for a couple days, okay? I promise to come back home soon. Edward is already on his way here."

"Well, I don't know if I trust that Edward character. Maybe I should contact the Phoenix police department over there to..."

"NO DAD! Do NOT send a police cruiser over to this house! I am FINE! PLEASE trust me to do the right thing here, okay?" she begged.

"Well, Bella. I will give you ONE day, not two. You'd better be back home tomorrow afternoon, or there will be a police cruiser in that driveway. By the way, where IS the driveway. I need the street address."

She gave him the information, promising that Edward would be bringing her home tomorrow, so he didn't have anything to worry about.

"I can't promise that YOU will not have anything to worry about, young lady. When you get home, you're going to be grounded for quite a while," he ordered.

Bella groaned, "Of course, Dad. I don't expect anything less."

He harrumphed, then said goodbye, ending the call.

Now that both of the men in her life had been appeased, Bella could rest for a while. She was still worried about Adam and Victoria, but she now realized that it was impossible to keep her family and friends out of the situation. She was stuck with their involvement, no matter what she did. Lying down on the bed again, she was soon asleep.


	12. Roadtrip with No Reservations

**Roadtrip with No Reservations**

Garrett was so confused. He'd been wandering through Nevada for the past week, and was blown away when he found a note on the road, written in human blood. I mean, this "Victoria" must really be a crazy bitch. And who the hell was Isabella Swan?

He figured that he would probably never know, so he decided to focus on the problem at hand...his thirst. Maybe he should try things hippie-style, and see if it pays off for him. He stood at the side of the road, and held up his thumb.

A family sedan drove toward him, slowed down, and the man at the wheel, said, "Where are you headed, son?" Garrett replied, "Phoenix." The man said, "Lucky you...we're headed that way. Hop in."

Garrett opened the back door, and took a seat beside the beat up kid in the back. Was this guy a street fighter, or something? He looked like he'd been slammed into a wall. "So kid...how did you get your nose smashed in?"

"Go to hell, slacker," the guy replied.

"Oh...that wasn't very nice," Garrett responded. "I think someone needs to teach you some manners." He grabbed the kids arm, pulled him over and sunk his teeth into his neck.

The driver of the car swerved violently, when he noticed what was happening in his back seat. The lady in the other seat was screaming, and the car flipped over two times. The guy beside Garrett jumped out the side door, and took off running, holding his hand to his neck, screaming with pain. The two up front were passed out. Garrett's thirst demanded satisfaction, so he leaned forward and drained the knocked out humans. Wiping his mouth, he stepped out of the car, reached underneath the vehicle to bust the gas line, then tossed a lit match on the fuel, as he took off running toward the escaped victim. The car burst into flames, destroying everything inside.

Garrett could hear the guy screaming, so it didn't take him long to find him. "Fuck it. You're turning already. Now, I'm stuck with babysitting a newborn. Oh well...win some, lose some." The guy kept screaming and screaming, and Garrett sat on top of him to keep him from running away. "Ah...shut up!" Garrett complained.

-_T-N-G_-

Bella woke from her nap, feeling more refreshed, but still sore and weak from her period. She carefully climbed out of bed, checked the bedding, to make sure she hadn't made a mess, then stepped to the bathroom again. She took another two Midol, and went to the kitchen again. She noticed Kelly's mom outside painting on the back porch. She was working with watercolor paints, capturing a gorgeous Arizona landscape on canvas.

Bella came up behind her, and watched her work for a while. "That's beautiful, Mrs. Ambrose!" Bella gushed. Samantha smiled, and said, "Thank you, Bella. I wanted to make something for to take back home with you, to remember your short visit with us." Bella glowed with appreciation, "That is so thoughtful! I can't believe that this will be mine! Thank you so much!" Samantha turned around, with her arms held wide, keeping her palette and brushes away from damage, saying, "Sneak in here and give me a hug, Bella." Bella gently stepped closer, avoiding the art supplies held to the side, and gave Kelly's mom a sweet hug. "You and Kelly are so good to me. I really appreciate your help."

"Mom! I'm home!" Kelly called out. Samantha answered, "We're back here on the porch, Kelly!" Kelly came through the door, dropping her school bag on the porch table, then put her arm around Bella. "So, feeling better, girl?" Bella smiled, "Yeah. I had a great nap, after an awesome breakfast. Your mom is giving me a gorgeous watercolor painting, and I got hugs from two amazing friends. It's a great day." They all giggled together, then Kelly said, "I'm starving! What can we eat, Mom?"

Kelly and Bella stepped into the kitchen, while Samantha set down her art supplies and took off her smock, setting everything on the table outside. Kelly looked in the fridge, and said, "Bella, let's make some sandwiches." Bella said that sounded great, and Kelly's mom agreed. Soon, there was bread, meat, pickles, spread, tomatoes, lettuce, spinach, bean sprouts, bell pepper, cheese, and olives all over the counter. It felt like a trip to the local deli. When everyone was happy with their individual masterpieces, they all sat down to eat. Kelly had pulled out some bottles of water earlier.

"Yum! That was sooo good!" said Bella. Kelly and her mom said the same, and then the ladies all got up to put everything away and put the dishes in the dishwasher. "So," said Kelly's mom, "have you decided to tell us what's going on yet, Bella?" Bella sat down, and was considering what to say, when the front door bell rang.

Kelly got up to see who it was, then came back to the kitchen saying, "Oh my god. There is a REALLY HOT guy at the front door. I wonder who he is, Mom?" Bella laughed. "I think I know who it is - my boyfriend." Kelly's eyes popped open incredibly wide, and her mouth fell open as well. "Bella Swan, you little hussy. You didn't tell me that you'd landed a supermodel." Bella laughed, and they heard the doorbell ring again. "I guess I'd better go let my supermodel boyfriend in the door, huh?" Bella replied

Walking to the door, Bella looked through the peephole, to see Edward waiting impatiently with his hands on his hips, and Emmett making silly faces at the door. Giggling, Bella pulled the door open. Immediately, Edward pulled her into his arms, sighing, "Oh God...Bella...don't ever do that again, baby." His hands were all over her back, and he pulled her close, leaning in to kiss her deeply. Nuzzling her neck, he caressed her hair, and breathed in her essence. "Oh, I love you so much, Bella," he moaned.

Kelly and her mom were speechless, standing stock still, with their mouths agape, completely floored by the extravagant display of sexuality and emotion coming from this gorgeous man. In their eyes, Bella was absolutely the luckiest girl in the world.

Edward put Bella back down on her feet again, pulled her to his side, and composed himself. "Pardon me, ladies. That was uncalled for. I apologize for my uncontrolled display of affection." Once again, the two ladies were speechless. Where did this perfect guy come from? Was he an angel?

Kelly's mother finally came to her senses, and clearing her throat, squeaked out, "Would you like to...Ahem...(_now in her regular voice_)...would you like to come in?"

-_T-N-G_-

After visiting with Kelly and her mom for about an hour, Bella hugged them both again, and thanked them for letting her stay overnight. Edward offered to pay for their inconvenience, but both ladies refused him. "Oh no...we were just glad to help Bella." Edward thanked them both profusely, and told them to feel free to come visit in Washington state sometime. Kelly giggled, and her mom chuckled breathily. "Perhaps we'll take you up on that one day," Samantha promised, with a wink. Edward made a strange expression, pulled Bella close, and leaned in to tell her to get her things.

Bella went down the hall for her stuff, then quickly returned to leave with Edward and Emmett. Waving goodbye at the doorstep, Kelly and her mom looked disappointed for them to leave. "Oh! I almost forgot! Bella! Your painting!" They waited by the car, while Samantha ran to get it. She soon returned, with the painting wrapped in a protective cover. She had placed some kind of spacers in front of the artwork, which kept the cover off of the painting, allowing it to dry completely. Bella placed it carefully in the back of the Jeep, on top of her suitcase.

Now that everything was taken care of, they said their final farewells, and got in the Jeep. As they left, Bella smiled, remembering the kindness of her friends. Edward was sitting beside her, holding her hand, and gazing deep into her eyes. Yes, she really was the luckiest girl in the world. Seeing Edward again after being away from him for a couple days...yes, she could see how gorgeous he was. Wow.

"Okay, back to reality now," said Emmett. "What's the plan for Victoria, bro?"

Edward snarled in Emmett's direction. "Well first, let's give Bella the good news. Adam has decided to move back to Phoenix." He smiled at Bella warmly.

"Wow! That's great!" replied Bella, taking a huge breath of relief. "So now, we just have to deal with Victoria. Oh...and by the way, Charlie says that I have to be home by tomorrow afternoon. And...I'm grounded." She frowned and sighed again.

Edward winked at her, saying, "That's not that bad of a problem, because I'll still be able to visit you through the window." Bella giggled, and winked back at him, "True that!"

"Okay, you two," said Emmett. "We need to find a place for Bella to stay tonight, before we head back home. Who's up for Vegas, baby?" Edward reached forward to slap Emmett's hand in agreement. "Sounds perfect, my brother. Bella, have you ever been to Vegas?" Bella shook her head, "Nope. I'm too young to gamble anyway. And I can't drink. So, I guess it just hasn't ever appealed to me."

Edward and Emmett smirked, pulling out their incredibly authentic looking fake IDs. "We've found a way around that problem, babe," Edward said.

"Well, I don't have IDs like that, so I'll just hang around the room, while you guys paint the town," said Bella.

Emmett shook his head, "Oh no you won't. There are plenty of things for you to do in Vegas that don't have an age requirement. You'll be a fine and happy girl, I promise."

And true to his word, Emmett found plenty of entertainment they could all share for the rest of the afternoon. They played arcade games, rode rides, Bella ate lots of food, and they ended up the day with an amazing magic show. It was an awesome day. When the day was over, Bella was exhausted, so Edward got them a suite for the night. There was a huge bed, a jacuzzi, and a balcony which looked out over the beautiful Bellagio water fountains.

Standing on the balcony, Bella leaned into Edward's arms, luxuriating in the moment. "Wow. I can't believe my nightmare turned into a fantasy like this. Maybe I should run away more often?"

"No way, babe. I can't stand to be away from you for another minute. Bella, I have to say this. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. What do you think about marrying me?" His eyes were warm and bright, and Bella could see the Bellagio fountains reflected in them.

"Oh Edward, I will marry you one day, but I can't right now. I'm still too young. But, I'll let you know when I'm ready, alright?"

Edward smiled, "Fair enough. I'll wait forever for you, Bella."


	13. There is a SeasonTurn, Turn, Turn

**There is a Season...Turn, Turn, Turn**

Carlisle and Esme were riding around Forks in the Mercedes, keeping their eyes, ears, and vampire senses heightened to their greatest awareness. So far, they had not caught sight of Victoria even once. They glanced at each other, and reached to hold hands.

"This is nice, being out alone, isn't it, love?" said Esme. Carlisle smiled in response, "Yes, it is. Even though the circumstances are unusual, it still gives us time alone." Esme slid closer to her mate, and leaned on his shoulder.

-_T-N-G_-

Alice and Jasper were on guard at Charlie's house - if you could actually call it "guarding". To outsiders, they would appear to be making out in the forest, which was exactly what they were doing.

"Mmm...babe, I love it when you do that," sighed Jasper. "Yeah, I know. And you're gonna love what I'm about to do even more. Believe me, I know," responded Alice. Jasper grinned, and wrapped his arms tighter around his adorable mate.

-_T-N-G_-

Rosalie was walking around the house, with her arms crossed. "Damn it, Edward. Why can't you choose a vampire to mate with, instead of that measly human. You have caused trouble every day, since the day you met her. Now, you have Emmett on a wild goose chase, and I'm stuck at home. Damn, damn, damn!" She decided to take a walk outside, to get some fresh air, and try to relax a little. As soon as she opened the front door, she smelled it...Victoria! Pulling the door shut, she hit the panic button, which caused the thick metal enclosure to come up from the outer walls, fully encasing the building with a protective covering.

Climbing up to the top floor, she stepped into the central closet, to a secluded panel, then slid it aside, and stepped forward, pulling the panel closed behind her and turning the lock. She took a seat at the desk, and turned on all the security cameras, while pulling out her cell phone. Unfortunately, there was no signal, so she resorted to using it as a directory to look up phone numbers for her family. She picked up the landline extension on the desk, and called Carlisle.

"Yes Rosalie?" answered Carlisle, "What's happening? I see that you're calling from the panic room."

"Victoria is here. I've secured the building," Rose responded.

"I'll call Jasper and Alice. We're on our way to the house, so keep your eyes open for us on the security cameras," Carlisle commanded.

After ending the call, Carlisle called Jasper's phone, to let him know what was happening. Jasper responded, "I'll head over to the house right now. Alice will stay here to guard Charlie."

Jasper kissed Alice, then took off running home. He called the panic room phone as he ran, telling Rose he was coming. Alice kept her phone in her hand, ready to call her family if she saw anything in her vision that would help. She decided to call Edward and Emmett, to give them an update.

-_T-N-G_-

Bella was asleep, resting in Edward's arms, when Emmett's phone vibrated with Alice's call. "Yeah Alice. What's up?" Emmett answered. "Damn! I wish I was there! Did you say that Rose is at home alone? Did she secure the building? Good...I'm glad we had that panic room installed. Keep us updated, sis." He disconnected the call, and looked back at Edward. "I guess you heard what she said."

Edward said, "Yes. Well, at least we know where Victoria is. All we can do now is just keep driving." He leaned forward to kiss the top of Bella's hair, and pulled her a little closer in his arms. She moaned, and snuggled into him, smiling in her sleep.

-_T-N-G_-

Rosalie watched the security displays, and noticed the blur of quick movement at the west end of the property. When the blur came to a stop, she recognized Jasper. She immediately saw a similar blur to the north, and made a quick call to Jasper to let him know. Jasper moved northwest, with caution, using stealth while in his crouched position. Rose called Carlisle again, letting him know the location of Jasper and Victoria.

Carlisle replied, "Thanks Rose. We'll stop near the entrance to the house, and run the rest of the way. Let Jasper know that we are almost there."

Soon, Rose saw the two blurs of Carlisle and Esme, as they approached from the northeast. Victoria was visible on camera now, crouching at the north. Rose called Jasper with the information, then called Carlisle with the same. They focused their vampire senses to find Victoria through scent. Soon, they could see her in her crouch.

She took off running, and they gave chase, but soon lost her as she jumped into the sea. She was incredibly fast. There was no way they would ever be able to catch her. Maybe Edward would be fast enough, but they would just have to wait until he returned. They hoped that Victoria would remain in the area, so they could give it a shot.

The three vampires turned to head toward home, and Jasper sent a text to Alice to give her an update. Carlisle called Edward, to give him the news. Edward was disappointed that they didn't catch Victoria, but looked forward to his chance of possibly catching her. "Hmph...I wish I had been there tonight. I want this to be taken care of soon," Edward complained. Carlisle agreed.

-_T-N-G_-

The sound of Edward's angered voice woke Bella, and she sat up with a yawn and stretch. "What's happening, Edward?" she asked. He let her know that Victoria had been sighted, but no one was able to catch her.

"Ugh!" she replied. "I wish that she would just leave me alone!"

Emmett harrumphed, "No chance of that, little sis. She is determined to get revenge for the loss of her mate. She'll never stop."

Edward gave Emmett an angry stare, "Enough of that, Emmett. Let's not upset Bella more than necessary."

"Sorry, bro. I'm just telling it like it is," answered Emmett, with a shrug.

Bella sunk lower in her seat, with her arms crossed tightly. Edward was reaching over to pull her close again, when Bella pushed forward in her seat, asking, "What's that up ahead?"

Several emergency vehicles were at the side of the road, with blue, yellow and red lights flashing. They were surrounding a burned vehicle. Emmett slowed down, and Edward said that he would go investigate. He quickly leapt out the side door, and ran away.

Edward crept close to the site of the emergency, and listened to the minds of the attending officers. The remains of two humans were found in the burned car. There was no way to identify the bodies, but they were able to decipher the license plate number, because of the raised lettering on the tag.

Edward zoomed back to the Jeep. On the way there, he noticed the scent of a vampire. He decided to check this out, and sent a quick text to Emmett. Emmett waited in the car with Bella, and told her that everything was okay. "I hope so," said Bella nervously.

When Edward found the vampire he had smelled, he chuckled. "Garrett! Why are you sitting on that guy?"

Garrett grumbled, "I turned him accidentally. He was supposed to be part of my meal. Now I'll be stuck babysitting him for a while, until he gets over his newborn blood frenzy. Want to stick around and help out?"

Edward came closer to take a look at the transforming male, then stopped with a jerk. "Oh my god...it's Adam Fields!" He swallowed nervously, shook his head, groaning, "Of all the rotten luck..."

Garrett turned to look at Edward, maintaining his usual expression of boredom. "So...you know this guy?"

"Oh yeah...I know him. He's in love, or should I say LUST, with my mate."

Garrett's eyebrows went up, "Mate? I didn't know you had a mate, Edward! When did this happen?"

Edward blew out a long sigh of frustration, then told Garrett the story of Bella, as well as the story of this jerk who had recently moved into town, and his attempts to move in on Bella. Garrett smirked, enjoying the story. He loved gossip, and Edward's story definitely qualified as a story worth hearing and repeating. "Well, now. I'd say that your life has certainly become more interesting, Edward. Welcome to the society of romance, intrigue, and drama, my friend," he chuckled.

Edward groaned, "Thanks a lot, Garrett. I wish I could stay and help out, but this is not where I want to be right now. But, I'll go check with Emmett, to see if he is willing to stay with you." Garrett nodded, then looked down on Adam with interest. Maybe this guy would be worth having as a friend on the road. He sounded like he had an intriguing personality. Edward grimaced and walked away, rolling his eyes at Garrett's line of thought.

**Author's Note: Thank you all for following this story! I am loving all your reviews, follows, and faves. You rock, my friends! :)**


	14. The Adam Situation

**Dealing with the Adam Situation**

When Edward got back to the Jeep, he quickly whispered the situation about Adam to Emmett, begging him to stay with Garrett, and help to control the newborn vampire. Emmett agreed reluctantly, complaining that he was looking forward to seeing Rose that afternoon. He stepped out of the car, and trudged off to sit with Garrett.

Edward asked Bella to move up to the front passenger seat, then he sat behind the wheel. Soon, they were driving quickly toward Washington state, and Edward pulled out his cell phone to discuss the Adam situation quickly and quietly to Rosalie, Carlisle, and the rest of the Cullens. Bella could not understand what he was saying, and just shrugged it off as being a private family discussion.

When he finished his calls, he turned to smile at Bella. "So, how's my girl feeling now?"

"A little confused," she answered. "Why did Emmett leave the car, and why are we leaving him behind?"

"I found an old friend back there, who was dealing with a situation that needed my help. I told him that I couldn't stay, and offered to check with Emmett instead. Emmett agreed to help."

Bella replied, "Edward, I know I haven't known you that long, but I can tell that you aren't giving me the whole story. You looked very upset when you came back to the car. What are you not telling me?"

Edward took a huge breath, cleared his throat, and looked over at Bella. "Well...okay. It has something to do with that burned up car we saw on the side of the road. The people in the car were dead, burned up with the car."

"Oh no!" cried Bella. "I wonder who they were?"

Edward grimaced, swallowed, then said, "They were Adam Fields' parents."

"Oh my gosh!" Bella exclaimed. "So, where is Adam?" She looked around at the landscape nervously.

Edward locked his jaw, then rubbed it with one hand, took another breath, then finally answered Bella. "Alright...there was this vampire, see. A guy that I know, actually. His name is Garrett. Well, Garrett is a normal vampire - he drinks human blood. And he is the reason that Adam's parents are dead."

"Okay," Bella said slowly. "So...what about Adam?"

"Here's the interesting part," Edward admitted with hesitation, "Garrett bit Adam too, but Adam got away before Garrett could drink his blood."

"Oh my gosh! So, Adam is loose! Hurry Edward, drive faster!"

Edward grimaced yet again, "There's no need to hurry. Adam is back there with Garrett...and...he is...turning into a vampire." Edward flinched as he looked over at his mate.

"NOOOOO!" Bella screamed. "I can't fucking BELIEVE this!"

Edward's eyes flew open, hearing Bella swear. "I know...I'm shocked as well, babe. But, Emmett will be there to help to control him. We will protect you, Bella. You have nothing to worry about, love."

"Nothing to worry about?" she cried. "I have EVERYTHING to worry about. Now, I have TWO vampires that want to get me. Of course, only ONE of them wants to kill me, but I think that the other one will want to kill YOU! This is unbelievable. My life sucks!"

Edward scrunched up his nose, and scratched his forehead, then his fingers squeezed the bridge of his nose. "Yeah...my life is kinda screwed too, babe. At least, we can't say that our life is boring, can we?" he teased with a smirk.

Bella slumped forward, with her head in her hands. Her hair fell loose, all around her. Edward reached his hand over to run his hands through her hair, then scratched her back tenderly. "Sweetheart, we will just have to take things one day at a time. My family will support us, and protect you. You aren't alone. We are here for you."

Bella suddenly sat up, and with a very determined expression, turned to face Edward.

"Edward, stop the car."

Edward's eyebrows lowered, and he turned to look at her. "Why?"

"Stop the car. Pull over."

He finally acquiesced, and the Jeep came to stop on the side of the road.

Bella turned to take Edward's hands, and looked deep into his eyes. "Edward, I know that you have finally agreed to make me a vampire. I know that you want to marry me. But, I have a request right now, and I need your sincere promise."

"Okay, Bella. What's your request?" Edward asked, with some trepidation.

Bella waited a few seconds, still holding on to Edward's hands, then said, " I distinctly remember, on the day you made love to me for the first time, that you said you would do anything I asked. Do you remember saying that?"

Edward twisted his mouth closed, squinched his eyes closed, bowed his head, and finally replied, "Yes, I remember." His shoulders sagged in defeat.

Bella nodded with satisfaction, "When we get to Forks, don't take me home. Take me to your house, and transform me. I refuse to take no for an answer."


	15. Dealing with Victoria

**Dealing with Victoria**

Carlisle and Esme were now guarding Charlie's house, and Alice and Jasper were driving around town in the Mercedes. Rose stayed in the panic room, just in case, and kept an eye on the security screens. She spun her chair around, and turned on the television behind her, to watch the news. The phone on the desk started ringing, so she reached over to grab it. "Hello?"

"Hi Rose...this is Edward."

"Yes, Edward."

"Has Emmett called you?"

"Yes he did. I'm sure you know that I'm pretty pissed about this. I was looking forward to having my man home this afternoon."

"I know. I'm sorry about that, but it was really beyond our control. Adam Fields is going to be a force to be reckoned with, and we need a family member there to keep an eye on him."

Rosalie growled, responding, "Damn it, Edward. Why couldn't you stay?"

"Seriously, Rose? The guy would kill me! He's already mad at me for hitting him, and his newborn strength and speed would be too much for me to handle."

She huffed, "Like I said...why didn't you stay?"

Edward growled, "Thanks a lot, Rose. Love you too."

The call was disconnected, so Rose hung it up, and turned back to watch the news again.

-_T-N-G_-

Edward put the phone in the center console, and reached over to hold Bella's hand. "Well, I guess that wasn't so bad."

"Yeah...considering her usual bitchiness, I think you're right," Bella agreed. "So, are you going to call Carlisle now?"

Edward sighed, and squeezed the steering wheel a bit tighter. "Just give me a few moments of peace, Bella. I'm enjoying my final hours with my human girlfriend."

Bella grimaced, then sat further down in her seat. She decided to change the subject. "I enjoyed my visit with Kelly and her mom. Although having my period put a damper on things. But, I think it's probably a good thing that I won't be human much longer. Apparently something is wrong with my body. My period ended this morning - that's two days earlier than normal."

Edward forced a look of concern, saying "Hmm...I wonder why?" Then he turned to look out his window, with a smile of satisfaction. His thoughts turned to the night before, remembering his bedtime treat with Bella in Vegas. As soon as she fell asleep, he went to work. He had been tortured by the scent of her menstruation all day. A quick dose of vampire breath, and she was dazzled. The next two hours were a steady flow of bliss on Edward's tongue, as he slowly sipped _la tua cantante_ from between her legs.

-_T-N-G_-

Victoria was sorely frustrated. She missed having James as a tracker. If he were alive, she would never have lost Bella. Then again, if he were still alive, she wouldn't be hunting Bella anyway. She screamed loudly, and slammed her body against a Sequoia tree, causing it to fall over in a spectacular crash. "Grrrrr!" she growled.

She decided to try tracking Bella on her own, and headed south.

Jasper was the first one to notice her, and told Alice to help him watch, as they drove to follow. Alice pulled out her phone, and called Carlisle. She gave him their location, then hung up. Carlisle and Esme took off in that direction.

Carlisle's phone rang again. "Yes?"

"Carlisle, it's Edward...I need to talk to you about something."

"Not now, Edward. We're chasing Victoria. She's heading south."

-_T-N-G_-

Edward threw his phone down into the console again. "They've found Victoria," he barked at Bella.

"Oh no!" Bella replied. "I hope they catch her this time."

Edward told her to keep her eyes open on the road, because Victoria was heading in their direction. He hoped that his family would be able to keep up with her, because he didn't want to endanger Bella. He quickly ran through some scenarios in his mind, then decided to discuss it with Jasper, to come up with a strategy.

Jasper answered his phone, and listened to Edward's ideas. "Hmm...okay," Jasper said. "We're chasing her from behind, and you're there right in front. I think you should pull over and conceal Bella below ground. Victoria will smell her, but you can stand guard over the entrance. Maybe this will slow her down long enough for the rest of us to catch up."

"Good idea, Jasper. I'm on it." He put the phone in his pocket this time, and pulled to the side of the road. "Come on, Bella. Let's hide your pretty body." He opened her door, and pulled her into his arms for a quick hug.

They held hands and ran about a mile away. He pulled out his phone, and gave Alice their location, mentioning the mile marker number where the car was left on the side of the road. He then put his phone back in his pocket, and started digging a large hole in the dirt. As he uncovered large rocks, he placed them off to the side. Bella watched with interest. Soon, he had dug a nice deep hole, and he placed his jacket along the bottom. He hopped out, grabbed Bella for another hug, and hopped back in, carrying her with him.

"Just relax, Bella. We will take care of Victoria," he promised.

"Edward, please be careful," she begged. "I don't want to lose you!"

He held her close, and kissed her lips warmly. "Darling, you have nothing to worry about. Trust me. In just a few hours, we will be at my house, and all your vampire dreams will be fulfilled." He winked, and kissed her again.

He listened for a while, then hopped out, leaving Bella down below. Throwing a kiss, he covered the opening with the large rocks. Bella sat down, and turned on her phone, to light up the darkness. It wouldn't last long, because the battery was so low, but she hoped the fight with Victoria would be ending soon. She listened and prayed.

It wasn't long until she heard the sounds of scraping, shouting, growling, sliding, and crashing. The sounds eventually came to an end, and she looked up at the top of the hole, waiting to see who would be moving the rocks out of the way. Would it be Edward or Victoria? She trembled in fear, expecting the worst.


	16. After the Fight

**After the Fight**

Bella cowered into the corner at the bottom of the hole, then reached over for Edward's jacket, covering herself up in fear. What if Edward was dead? What if Victoria was up there, moving those rocks out of the way? Was this the end of Bella's life? Bella thought back through everything that had happened over the years. She was only 17 - not long enough to have really accomplished anything worthwhile. Her tears began to flow, and Bella wondered what Victoria would do to her. She hoped her death would be quick and painless.

She listened as each of the rocks was moved out of the way. Light was filtering down from the opening, and fresh air filled the space. Bella trembled.

"Bella? Are you okay?"

It was Alice. Alice! Bella pulled back the jacket, and looked up at her friend. "Oh Alice! I'm so glad it's you! I thought it might be Victoria!"

Alice looked down at Bella, and said, "No. Victoria is long gone. She got away from us. I am so pissed! I thought we had her this time. Now, you stay back in that corner. I'm coming down."

Bella pulled her feet out of the way, so Alice could join her. She carefully pulled herself up to stand, and shook the dirt from Edward's jacket. Alice gave her a hug, and looked into her eyes. "Are you sure you're okay, Bella? I think Carlisle might need to take a look at you."

Bella shook her head, "No, I'm fine. Just a little shook up. Listening to that fight was nerve wracking. Where's Edward?"

Alice hesitated, and looked up at the opening of the hole.

Jasper leaned his head over the edge, and looked at Alice and Bella. "Everything okay down there?"

Alice replied, "Yes. But I think that Carlisle will want to check Bella over, just in case."

Bella furrowed her brow, and asked again, "Alice...where's Edward?"

Alice looked up at Jasper, and he grimaced.

Bella screamed, "TELL ME WHAT HAPPENED TO EDWARD!"

Esme appeared at the opening, with a look of concern. "Bella, dear. Everything will be fine. Carlisle is taking care of Edward right now. You can come up in just a few minutes."

Bella growled and stomped her feet, "Will someone please tell me what happened to my boyfriend?!"

Jasper looked at Esme, then down at Alice, and finally said, "Well...Victoria tore him to pieces, and we're putting him back together again. We're just glad that we got here before she started a fire."

Bella collapsed to the ground, and passed out.

-_T-N-G_-

The Cullens were worried about Edward driving after his encounter with Victoria, so the cars were renegotiated, with Esme driving the Mercedes, and Carlisle driving the Jeep. Edward and Bella clung to each other in the back of the Mercedes, as they went back to Forks, with Esme and Alice. Carlisle and Jasper drove in the other direction, so they could help Emmett and Garrett deal with the newborn Adam.

Esme hummed along with the 40's station on her Sirius radio station. Bella didn't recognize any of the tunes, but she noticed that Edward occasionally joined in with some of them. She was suddenly amazed, realizing that this man had actually lived through so much American history. He had seen wars, riots, the birth of radio and television, the emotional and political turmoil of the 60's and 70's. He was a living history book, with every memory crystal clear. Incredible.

She turned to look up in his eyes, and smiled. "Edward, are you sure you're okay? I hate that Victoria did that to you. I can't believe that your body can heal itself so quickly and completely. Thank god your family got here before she completely destroyed you. I don't know what I would do without you, sweetheart." Her tears started anew, and she closed her eyes with concern.

"Hey, quit that. No more tears. We're gonna make it, Bella," he promised. He pulled her chin up, and kissed away her tears. "You know I love you, right? And I will do what you asked, as soon as the rest of the family gets back home."

Esme joined in the conversation, "What's that Edward? What has Bella asked you to do?"

Edward took a deep breath, and said, "Bella is ready to be transformed now. I agreed to do it as soon as we get back to Forks."

"Well, thank heavens for that! I have been so worried that you would never turn her. You both are perfect for each other - I know that you are mates. It just makes sense for Bella to be a vampire," Esme agreed.

Bella glowed, "Thanks Esme. I think the rest of the family feels the same way, except for Rosalie, of course. I wonder why she hates me so much?"

"She doesn't hate you, Bella," said Alice. "She just doesn't understand why you would want to be a vampire. Rosalie is very disappointed about her own transformation. She wishes that she remained a human, and she wanted to have a baby. Now she can never have children, and it breaks her heart. She can't believe that you would throw all of that away."

"Oh, I see. Well, you can all tell Rosalie that she has nothing to worry about. I have never wanted children of my own. After the crazy life I've had, being tossed around from parent to parent...no, I wouldn't want to bring a child into this unpredictable world," Bella replied.

Edward sighed, "Well, I'm sorry you had such a difficult childhood, Bella. But, I'm glad that you are okay with not having any children. I've never really wanted them either. I guess it's because I never grew beyond my teenage years as a human. I was focused on school, piano, and baseball, and I wanted to join the military to fight in the Great War. Romance, family, and children were never part of my thoughts before I became a vampire."

Bella giggled, "Well, I'm glad that romance finally captured your thoughts."

"Me too," he smiled, pulling her close for a tender kiss and hug.

"Me three," joked Esme.

"Me four," said Alice, with a smile.

-_T-N-G_-

Garrett and Emmett were glad to see Jasper and Carlisle. Now, they felt confident that Adam would not be a problem. They spent the time talking about past adventures, then talked about how they would satisfy Adam's newborn thirst when he awoke. Garrett said that he would like for Adam to just follow the standard vampire lifestyle. He envisioned having Adam as a coven buddy, roaming the country together.

Carlisle said, "You do realize that he is attracted to Bella? You'll have to keep him away from our family, so there's no trouble with Edward."

"Yeah, I know. But, part of me wants to see them fight it out. Could be entertaining, you know?" Garrett said with a smirk.

Jasper and Emmett laughed, saying they'd like to see that too. Carlisle shook his head in frustration, saying, "Guys, you are just too much."

Emmett responded, "Well, I hope that Adam has some kind of special ability that works in contrast to Edward's mind-reading ability. That could make for an awesome tangle!"

Jasper agreed, discussing the possibilities of Adam's unknown abilities.

Garrett said, "I wonder how we can know for sure what his talents will be?"

Carlisle answered, "Eleazar would be able to tell you, but you'd have to take Adam to Denali to find out. That's where he lives."

"Denali, as in Alaska?" asked Garrett.

"Yes," Carlisle replied. "They are our cousins. The coven has three unmated females, as well as Eleazar and his mate."

Garrett's eyebrows shot up, "Three unmated females, huh? That is definitely a place where two bachelor vampires should make a visit."

Jasper and Emmett guffawed, nudging Garrett with their elbows. "Sounds like you're about to have some excitement of your own, Garrett!" said Emmett.

Garrett wiggled his eyebrows, and smiled mischievously, saying, "Yes, I am. Tell me more about these female vampires."


	17. Coming Home and Handling a Newborn

**Coming Home & Handling a Newborn**

When Esme entered the state of Washington, Alice looked back at Edward, asking, "So, how are you going to go about handling Bella's transformation on your own? None of us have ever done this. You need Carlisle."

Edward pressed his lips together, and nodded. "You're right. Let me give him a call, and see what he recommends."

Carlisle listened to Edward's request, then responded, "Edward, you should take Bella to Denali. Eleazar has experience with transformation, after handling several for the Volturi. Also, Bella will have the privacy and support of the rest of the clan there, to help her adjust to an animal diet. We will need to make a cover story for Bella, so her family will not be looking for her. She has to disappear now. Our family will just have to move to Denali for now."

Jasper and Emmett overheard, and grinned. Now, they knew that there would definitely be an upcoming battle between Edward and Adam. Garrett joined in as they placed their bets for the outcome.

Edward disconnected the call, then discussed it with Esme, Alice, and Bella. "You'll not be able to see your family again, Bella. You do realize that, don't you?"

Bella nodded, "Yes. That is the price I have to pay, but I know I'm doing the right thing. I'm ready to move on with my life...with you."

"Okay," agreed Edward. "Let me call Emmett, so he can work out a cover story with Garrett. Garrett is really good at that sort of thing."

After he finished this call, they soon arrived in Forks. They went straight to the Cullen home, and packed everything that Edward, Esme, Carlisle, Alice and Jasper would need. Rosalie was upset about Bella's decision, of course, but the rest of the family just ignored her tantrum. "Are you coming to Denali with us, or not?" asked Alice.

"I don't know. Let me call Emmett to make our decision," she answered. When she called her mate, he said, "Oh, come on Rose. I want to be in Denali when Adam and Edward face off!"

Rosalie made a face, and asked, "What are you talking about?" Emmett then gave her the full story of how Garrett and Adam would be going to Denali soon, to get Eleazar's evaluation of Adam's talents, and meet Tanya, Irina, and Kate. Now that he knew that Edward was taking Bella there to transform, he was anticipating the sparks that would fly when Adam got there as well.

Rose smirked, saying, "Sounds good to me. I'd like to see Edward knocked down a peg or two. I bet on Adam." Emmett laughed, and told his fellow vampires about Rose's bet. She could hear Garrett and Jasper chuckling in the background. After ending the call, she went to her room, and started packing things that she and Emmett would need for the trip.

-_T-N-G_-

Edward secured the cover over his Vanquish, for long storage. He then loaded and closed the trunk of his Volvo, opened the passenger door for Bella, closed her in, then walked around to his side of the car. "See you all in Denali!" he said.

"Wait!" said Alice. "We need to make a stop on the way, so I can buy some things for Bella to wear. I refuse to let her wear those awful clothes when she's a vampire."

Edward smirked, agreed, then sat in the car, pulling his door closed. "I guess you heard that," he told Bella.

"Yeah," Bella groaned. "So, I'll be Alice's virtual Barbie doll for a while, I guess."

Edward smiled, "Yes...that's how it is with the Cullens. We all wear what Alice tells us to wear. I haven't seen you complain about my wardrobe, though."

She moaned, looking over at her gorgeous man. "You got that right. I can't keep my eyes off of you, lover."

Edward chuckled, winked at her, then started his car. "Let's get on the road, love, or I'll be taking you upstairs to my room."

Esme and Alice got in the Mercedes, after loading it with luggage for themselves and their mates. Rosalie took her BMW, with everything that she and Emmett would need for the next few weeks. She and Alice would return to Forks soon, to get more things.

-_T-N-G_-

Adam breathed out a heavy sigh, then opened his eyes. What in the world? Everything looked so incredibly clear. He felt a tremendous surge of energy, and leapt to his feet. He was severely thirsty, and coughed. Looking around, he saw four large men staring at him. He sunk into a crouch and growled, then furrowed his brows in confusion. "What's happened to me?"

Carlisle held out his hands in a gesture of peace, "You've been transformed into a vampire, Adam. You're thirsty, because you need blood. Let us help you."

Adam's eyes grew wide, and he looked down at his body. He noticed that he was no longer in pain. He reached up to touch his face, noticing that his nose felt normal again. "Where am I?" he asked. "This isn't Forks, and it isn't Phoenix either. Where are my parents?"

Jasper sent out waves of calm and relaxation, saying, "We're in Nevada. Your parents are gone, Adam. You have to make a life on your own now, but we are here to help you."

Adam was confused, and squeezed his eyes in tight. "Why would you want to help me. You don't even know me." He didn't trust them.

Garrett said, "Don't worry, bud. We aren't going to hurt you. We're vampires too, and we remember how it was when we were first changed. We just want to help you get used to it."

Adam wrinkled his nose, sniffed, and said, "I'm thirsty." He took off running toward the road. The rest of the vampires quickly turned to follow him, but he was nowhere in sight. He had effectually vanished. They all looked at each other in confusion, then took off running in the direction he had left. This was no average newborn.

It took them a while to find him. Along the way, they discovered four overturned vehicles, with drained humans in each of them. Garrett remained behind to discard the evidence, and the other three continued tracking Adam. When they finally caught up with him, he was crouched on top of a hill, looking down at them with a grimace. "What do you want?" he demanded.

Carlisle told him that he needed to be more careful with his victims, or the Volturi would come and reprimand him. He explained that vampires needed to maintain privacy, to prevent the humans discovering who they were. Adam didn't seem to care who or what the Volturi were. He huffed his disapproval, then jumped down to stand beside the others. "Why should I care about the Volturi? Who are they?"

Jasper used his powers to cause Adam to fall into a virtual sleep, then the guys picked him up, and carried him back down the road. When they got back to Garrett, he had finished dealing with all of Adam's wreckage. Adam was beginning to wake up again, so Jasper and Emmett grasped his arms, to prevent him from running off again.

Garrett walked forward, and punched Adam in the stomach. "Don't make such a mess anymore, idiot." Adam spat at him, then swore in anger.

Carlisle stepped in front of him, "I don't know who you are angry with, but you need to remember that we are here to HELP you. You need to cooperate with us."

Jasper sent out waves of calm, and Adam finally settled down. The other vampires all looked at each other with trepidation. This was going to be a lot of work.

-_T-N-G_-

While driving to Denali, Esme decided to call and check in with Carlisle. "Honey, when will you be coming to Denali?" she asked. Carlisle told her the situation, about how difficult Adam was being, and said that he would give her more details later." Frustrated, Esme disconnected the call, and shared the news with Alice, then she called Rose and Edward, to let them know as well.

Edward grimaced, "Thanks Mom." He looked over at Bella, and told her, "Babe, it looks like we're in for some crazy days with Adam and Victoria. Let's get you to Denali, so we can get you ready."

Bella's face was determined. She held her lips in a straight line, and looked at the road ahead. Her new life would soon begin.


	18. Traveling to Denali

**Traveling to Denali**

Before they got to Alaska, Alice let everyone know to pull over at a huge shopping mall. They all went along, to purchase new clothing, shoes, and accessories. Most of the day was focused on Bella, since her clothing was all left behind. She needed a new wardrobe anyway, since most of her belongings were for the warmer Phoenix climate. But, since she was being transformed into a vampire, she wouldn't need to protect herself from the elements as much as a human would require.

After buying everything they would need, Alice directed the ladies to the lingerie store. Edward raised his eyebrows, and tried to follow them in, but Alice held him back. "No way, brother. You go and do your own shopping somewhere else. Leave the lingerie to the ladies, please." Edward scowled, shook his head, then finally relented. But, he leaned in to whisper some requests in Bella's ear. She blushed, and gently pushed him away. Chuckling softly, he stepped back, then turned to go to the electronics store at the other end of the mall.

The ladies spent entirely too much money on lingerie, but they knew it would be so worth it for all of them. Walking out of the store, they noticed Edward sitting at one of the benches in the hallway. He raised up to stand, and watched Bella closely, with hooded eyes. Bella blushed, walked over to him, then stood on her tiptoes to give him a kiss. Edward held her chin, then stroked her jaw, and placed his hand behind her neck, under her hair, to deepen the kiss, pulling her close against his body with his other hand. Bella melted in his arms, and almost dropped her package. The other ladies giggled, then the couple slowly pulled apart with a quiet laugh.

Edward and Bella held hands, as the group continued walking through the mall, to find a few more things they would need for their home in Denali. Before they left the mall, Bella needed to eat, so they all sat together in a nice restaurant, while Bella enjoyed a large meal. "This might be your last meal, Bella, so you'd better enjoy it!" joked Edward.

A family sitting at the next table overheard this comment, and raised their eyebrows with concern. This caused Bella to fall into a fit of giggles, which in turn, made everyone else at the table laugh as well. The neighboring family discerned that it must have been a joke, so they shrugged it off. Esme pointed at Edward, and quietly said, "Watch it, Edward!" He winced with embarrassment, then put his arm around Bella, and buried his face in her hair to hide his face. Her hair smelled wonderful, so he was soon nuzzling her neck, and moaning her name.

Alice giggled, and said, "Save it for later, brother. She's not going anywhere." Esme smiled, so happy to see her son in love. She sighed with deep joy, and wrapped her arms around herself. Bella lowered her head with a shy smile, then leaned forward to finish her meal. After leaving the restaurant, they headed out to the cars, to continue their journey. Edward pulled out his phone before getting in the Volvo, to check in with Eleazar. He told him about needing his help with Bella's transformation, and informed them that they would be moving into their home in Denali. Eleazar said that he and his family would go over to the house, to help them get moved in.

Carlisle and Esme's home in Denali was a comfortable distance away from the other clan, giving each family the privacy and space they needed. It had a striking architecture, similar to their home in Forks. The only thing missing was heat. Vampires did not require this, so it had never been installed. But, there were several fireplaces for atmosphere. Irina and Kate got to work preparing the fireplace in Edward's room, as well as in the sitting room, so Bella would be comfortable. Laurent, Tanya and Eleazar went out to gather and cut firewood. Carmen removed the covers from all the furniture, and opened the drapes at the windows.

While driving across the Alaska state line, Edward looked over at Bella, took her hand, and said, "I need to warn you about Tanya, love." Bella turned to look at him, and said, "Who?" Edward took a deep breath, and said, "Tanya is one of my cousins, and has always thought that she and I should be together. She has often made attempts at a relationship, but I have always rejected her. She is persistent, though." Bella bit her lower lip, and squeezed her eyes in tight, "What does she look like?" Edward cleared his throat, and replied, "She's very beautiful, and she knows it. But I have never found her attractive. She is overtly sexual, which has always offended me. I'm sure she will make you uncomfortable. Please remember that I love YOU, and I am not interested in her."

Bella winced, and felt a stab of jealousy, and took a deep breath. "Okay Edward, I trust you. I will do my best to not act jealous around her. But, if she tries anything with you, it will be very hard for me to deal with. I mean, she's a vampire, right? I can't take her down in a fight, or anything." Edward chuckled, "Take her down? You'd fight a girl over me?" Bella said, "You'd better believe it! You're mine, and don't you forget it!"

He squeezed her hand, and pulled it to his mouth for a kiss, then he turned her hand around, and wrapped his lips around one of her fingertips. He gently sucked each fingertip one at a time, licking them with a slowly swirling tongue. Any thoughts of jealousy flew out the window. She was now panting with desire, leaning back in her seat with her eyes closed. Edward smiled, and kissed her palm, then rested their clasped hands on his lap.

-_T-N-G_-

Adam was still thirsty, but was handling himself a bit better. Garrett showed him how to approach victims, drain them, and discard them properly. It was frustrating for Adam to be careful this way, but the four vampire males gave him no choice. He had trouble focusing his thoughts, and his emotions were uncontrollable as well. On top of this, he kept thinking about Bella, which brought his sexual desires to a head...literally.

He had heard one of the other vampires say her name, so he knew that they must know where she was. He decided to bide his time, and pretend that he was willingly following their instruction. If he could stay with them, he figured they would eventually lead him to Bella. He looked forward to seeing her again, and formed highly erotic fantasies, featuring her in lingerie, leather, and chains.

While hunting with Garrett, Adam was draining a female human, and thoughts of Bella came to the front of his mind. In frustration, he copulated with the woman to release some of his sexual tension. Garrett couldn't give him a hard time, because he had done the same thing in the past. It was just another part of being a male vampire. A disgusting part, but just typical vampire nature, nonetheless.

-_T-N-G_-

Carlisle's phone rang, and he brought it to his ear, after reading the display, "Yes Edward?" Edward then asked him to check with Garrett about making a believable cover story for Bella's disappearance. It would need to be done right away, because he was sure that Charlie would be looking for Bella very soon.

Garrett agreed, and handled everything with professional precision. Emmett was sad to lose his Jeep, but Carlisle promised to replace it. Garrett found some cadavers to represent Bella, Edward, and Emmett, and placed them in the Jeep. After burning everything completely, the vampires all agreed that it was satisfactory.

Now, they had no vehicle, so they continued on foot. Carlisle, Jasper, and Emmett each took turns hunting for animals, as Garrett and Adam continued hunting humans. Carlisle tried to talk them into trying the animal diet, but after one taste, they were both very hesitant. They made awful faces, closing their eyes, and spitting out the animal blood. "Yuck!" Garrett complained, "How can you eat this all the time?" Carlisle assured them both that it was an acquired taste, and much more humane, of course.

-_T-N-G_-

When Edward finished talking to Carlisle, he noticed that Bella was crying. "I'm sorry, love," he said, as he stroked the back of her hand with his thumb. "I just wish I could have told Charlie and Mom goodbye," she cried. Edward crooned, "I know, sweetheart. But, you'll get better as the years go by...I promise. All of us have dealt with that, so we will be there to love and support you, darling." Bella leaned over to rest her head against Edward's arm, wrapping her arms around it, and pulling his hand between her knees.

In a very short time, they arrived in Denali, and Edward began pointing out landmarks. Bella sat up to look around at the scenery, amazed at how beautiful everything was. She felt like she was on an adventure, starting a new life...which was exactly what she was doing. She wiped her tears, took a big breath, lifted her shoulders, and tried to put on a brave face. "I'll do the best I can, Edward." Edward smiled, "I know you will, Bella. You can do this."

Bella noticed all the cars were pulling up at a huge house, which was all lit up inside. There were some vampires standing out front, ready to greet them. Edward pulled up to park beside Alice's car, then got out, and came around to open Bella's door. But before he could open it, a very beautiful female vampire jumped on his back, squealing, "Edward! Edward! You've come back to me!"


	19. Denali At Last

**Denali At Last**

Bella's eyes popped open, when she saw the beautiful female vampire hopping onto Edward's back. It had to be Tanya. Bella was furious. _That bitch._ Bella waited in the car with her arms crossed, lips pursed, and eyes squeezed tight in an angry glare. Edward was just about to open the car door before Tanya had jumped on his back. He looked through the window at Bella, and grimaced.

Reaching up with one hand, Edward was attempting to gently pry Tanya's hands loose from around his neck. Suddenly, Tanya was yanked away from Edward, and held firmly in Alice's arms. Esme came to stand in front of Tanya, and pointed a finger accusingly in her face. "Listen Tanya, you need to get over this ridiculous fascination with Edward. He has repeatedly told you that he is not interested for YEARS. He has tried to be a gentleman, but you continually ignore his attempts at kindly rejecting you. Let it go!"

Tanya's angry face made it clear that she was not giving up the fight, and she looked at Edward's back. "Can't Edward speak for himself? The last time he saw me, he said that I was more lovely than the stars. Doesn't that mean anything?" Edward was still facing the car door. He rolled his eyes, then squeezed them tightly shut. Blowing out a huge breath of air, he turned to face Tanya.

Stepping over to Tanya, he said, "Tanya, I have tried to be considerate, but you give me no choice. I am not interested in you. Please stop trying to make something out of nothing. Now, if you don't mind, I would like to let my mate out of the car."

"Your mate? She looks like a weak, ugly human to me," barked Tanya.

All bets were off now. Edward was no longer trying to be a gentleman. "Tanya, fuck you! Don't ever say anything like that about Bella again. She is the woman I love. She is more beautiful and kind that you will ever dream of being. I hope that you find your mate some day. Just know this...I am NOT your mate, and never will be." Edward then asked her to please step away from the car.

Tanya shrugged loose from Alice's grip, tossed her hair, then walked stormily over to her house on the other side of the hill. "Good riddance," said Esme. Alice smirked in agreement. Edward sighed, "I hate that things had to be handled that way, but she left us no choice."

He finally opened Bella's car door, and held out his hand to help her get out. Bella was still angry with Tanya, but was glad to see that her new family was supporting Edward and herself. She pressed her lips together grimly, then grabbed Edward's hand as she stepped out of the car. "Well, I'm glad you warned me about her ahead of time, but it was still painful to watch. I hope she doesn't try anything spiteful while I'm here," she said.

"Don't worry, Bella," Edward asked. "Everyone else will be supportive of our relationship. Let's not let her attitude destroy our happiness, my love." He lowered his head, looking into her eyes, then placed both hands on her cheeks, kissing her soundly. She smiled with relief, and wrapped her arms around his neck for a strong hug. He chuckled, lifting her up in his arms in response.

The rest of the Denali clan stepped forward to meet Bella, ignoring the earlier scene with Tanya to the best of their ability. Everyone introduced themselves, and had only kind words of greeting for Edward's mate. They seemed to genuinely like Bella, and she was relieved. They walked into the Cullen house, bringing luggage as they went. After a couple more trips to the car, everything was unloaded. Rosalie dealt with moving the cars into the garage, and went to work on servicing each of them after the long road trip.

When all the luggage was unpacked, and the shopping bags were emptied, they set about putting away their purchases. Bella was moved into Edward's room, and surveyed the new environment. It was similar to his room in Forks, but had more space. The fireplace was lit, and Bella gladly went to stand in front of it, warming herself appreciatively. Edward stood behind her, with his arms wrapped around her, saying, "I think that we will have you in this room for your transformation, if that's okay. It's warm and comfortable, with this cozy fire going."

Bella glowed, and agreed that this room would be the perfect setting. She then stepped to the bathroom for a human moment, and Edward went to discuss the transformation with Eleazar. They settled in the large sitting area in the center of the home, and Carmen joined in the discussion. Eleazar began, "So, Edward, when would you like to get started with Bella's transformation?"

Edward answered, "Right away. Let's not waste any time. We are worried about two threats to her safety right now. She cannot remain human any longer. In fact, I wish she was already turned. Victoria could show up at any moment."

Eleazar asked him to elaborate about Victoria, since he only knew her from the few comments he had heard from Laurent. After Edward described her skills and desire to kill Bella, Eleazar frowned. "Yes, we definitely need to get her transformed quickly. Carmen, we will need your assistance, love." Carmen nodded her head in agreement.

Edward turned to look at Carmen, asking how she would be helping. Eleazar replied, "Edward, I'm sharing a secret with you now, that not even the Volturi are aware of. Carmen has the gift of speeding up vampire transformation. She is the reason I left the guard in Volterra. I did not want Aro to discover her talent. He would surely have bound her to his service."

Edward smiled with relief, expressing his gratitude for their help, then said, "I would like to make the first two bites, since Bella is my mate. After that, I will trust your decisions."

Eleazar agreed with this request, then stood up, saying, "Let's get going then. With Carmen's help, Bella will be completely transformed by this time tomorrow."

-_T-N-G_-

Bella was resting on Edward's bed, ready to be transformed. She was nervous about it, but had no intention of changing her mind. Earlier, Rosalie, Alice, Esme, and the Denali clan (except for Tanya) had all come to the room, to wish Bella well. Now, only Bella, Edward, Eleazar and Carmen remained. The door was closed, and Bella was comfortably calm. Edward lay down beside Bella, and pulled her into his arms. Eleazar and Carmen moved to the other side of the room, facing the opposite direction, to give the couple their moment together.

Edward kissed Bella with deep feeling, promising, "Bella darling, I love you very much. It will be incredibly difficult for me to watch your transformation, because I know it will be horribly painful. I remember my own turning quite vividly. It's something a vampire never forgets. But, I will be here for you the entire time. I will hold you in my arms, and do my best to comfort you. You will never be alone, my love."

Bella smiled, maintaining her composure with fierce determination. "I'm ready Edward. I love you, and trust you completely. Let's get started." She kissed him tenderly, then laid back and waited for him to begin.

Edward climbed on top of her, and caressed her human body once more, memorizing her soft curves and warmth, inhaling her glorious scent. He kissed her again, sucking gently on her tongue, then licking her lips sweetly. "I love you, Bella," he vowed, as his lips traveled along her jaw, kissing below her ear, then coming to rest at the curve of her neck. Here was where his mark would forever proclaim that she was his mate. "You will now be mine for all eternity."

Bella winced as she felt Edward's teeth pierce her skin. The pain was intense, and she squeezed her lips tightly closed, to prevent her screams. She softly moaned in agony, tears leaking from her eyes, and kept her arms securely wrapped around her mate. She remembered this burning from when James had bitten her - it was excruciating - torturous.

Edward allowed himself to feast on her delicious serum for a moment, giving in to his vampire nature with relish. The flavor was unparalleled, exquisite. The hot, velvet flow of her blood soothed and healed his parched throat with absolute perfection, then swelled throughout his entire being in an ecstatic release. His physical body responded with a powerful orgasm, and he shuddered with extreme pleasure. "Ooooohhh...god...Bella...mmmmmm," he moaned. "Mine...mine...mine."

This was his most difficult act - forcing himself to stop enjoying this heavenly elixir. His singer. His _la tua cantante_. He would never experience this paradise again, and it was insane to put it to an end. It went against everything within him to stop consuming her.

He released his teeth from her neck reluctantly, injecting his venom into her vein, then he pulled back to make sure it was sealed within. He knew exactly where his next bite would be placed - directly on top of the one that James had made in Phoenix. He didn't want any trace of that monster on his mate. He found the offending mark on her wrist, and turned his head to exactly match the angle of the bite. After being satisfied that he had thoroughly erased James' signature, he carefully confirmed that this bite was sealed completely as well.

Edward now slid away from Bella's body, allowing Carmen and Eleazar to do their work, as he stepped into the large closet to quickly change his clothing. Eleazar directed Carmen to make a matching bite on Bella's other wrist, as well as on each of her ankles. He then told Edward that he could once again embrace his mate, while she endured her torturous transformation. Eleazar and Carmen then stepped away, leaving Edward and Bella to make their journey to become fully merged as vampire mates.


	20. Bringing Everyone Back Together

**Bringing Everyone Back Together**

Carlisle and Jasper noticed that their phone batteries were almost dead, so they encouraged everyone to run more quickly. They needed to get home to Forks, so they could stay in communication with the rest of the family. Pressing on at maximum speed, the arrived at the house in the middle of the night.

After plugging in all their electronic equipment, Carlisle called Esme to check in with her. "Hello dear," Esme answered, "How are you all holding up?"

"We're okay," Carlisle replied. "Adam is still incredibly overbearing, but we'll just have to deal with it. I hope that Garrett knows what he's getting into with this guy. How are you, and everyone else up there in Denali?"

Esme told him about the incident with Tanya, and how they had not seen her again since the day they arrived. She then happily told him about Bella's transformation. Bella was now a beautiful vampire, and was learning to acclimate herself to an animal diet. Edward had taken her on several long trips to the surrounding wilderness, to avoid overeating the local animal population.

Carlisle smiled, "So, they are fully mated then?" Esme laughed, "Absolutely. They can't keep their hands off each other. It's wonderful to watch them together. Reminds me of when you and I were first mated, my darling." Carlisle chuckled, "Well, let's see if we can do some serious reminiscing soon. I need to be with you, Esme. I miss you so much, my dear." She sighed, and agreed with her mate. "Yes, Carlisle. Get here soon, please."

-_T-N-G_-

Bella and Edward were racing each other up a mountain, laughing with delight. "Maybe I'll let you catch me this time," yelled Bella. Edward chuckled, "THIS time? Bella, seriously. You always let me catch you...eventually." She jumped up to the top of a large evergreen, saying, "Ha! Missed me!" Edward swooped up, and pulled her into his arms, "Gotcha!" The tree bowed down to the ground with their combined weight, and they both rolled off onto the ground, collapsing into each others arms.

Giggling happily, they held onto each other, and continued rolling around in the snow. Their laughter melted into moans, as their lips and tongues joined in an erotic kiss. Edward groaned, as he pressed his entire weight into Bella's frame, capturing her beneath him. He pulled back to look at his mate with desire evident in his gaze. "Bella, you are so beautiful. I waited over ninety years for you, and you were worth every second. I would gladly do it all over again, knowing that you were my prize."

Bella's face was glowing with unrestrained emotion. She was intensely bonded with her mate. Edward was absolutely perfect, and she counted her blessings every day. "Edward, thank you for listening to me, and making me completely yours. Now, we can be together forever. I love you." She nuzzled his neck, then claimed him as her mate once more, by biting into his neck. "Mine!" she squealed, with glee. Edward moaned, and nipped her neck as well. "Bella," he growled, as he pulled off their clothes.

Their mating was intense...and loud. Animals fled the scene, terrified by their passionate screams and growls. Edward had ninety years of sexual frustration to work out, and Bella was more than happy to help him deal with this. They were both utterly satisfied with their physical relationship, and celebrated their joining every day...several times a day. Their room was just not big enough to contain their antics, so they often fled to the surrounding wilderness for more freedom.

-_T-N-G_-

Victoria was frustrated. She had been SO CLOSE to killing Bella. Edward had been torn apart, and all she had to do was remove the rocks from that hole, jump down, and drain that measly human mate of his. Then, frustratingly, there were several other vampires attacking her, preventing her from approaching Bella. Screaming with anger, she had used her skill to escape their clutches, then sped away.

She had remained in the vicinity, watching the vampire coven as they separated. Deciding to follow the male vampires, she discovered the newborn they called "Adam". He was glorious to behold. Tall, muscular, and very handsome. She was attracted to him, but wanted to wait until his newborn frenzy abated. Perhaps he could replace James as her mate?

As the days continued, she followed the group from a distance, and watched as they destroyed their vehicle. She heard their description of making a cover story for the death of Bella, Edward, and Emmett. When they ran away, she examined the burned out car, impressed with the work. This Garrett was an intelligent, experienced vampire. She stored away some of his techniques in her mind, for her own use later.

The vampires continued running, so she went along. She knew that they would lead her to Bella. All that was left to do was be patient. Her thirst was becoming uncomfortable. She needed a victim soon. Perhaps Seattle would provide good hunting grounds. She would wait until then. She didn't need to be hungry for Bella, because she intended to make her suffer a slow death. She was angry, and tired of chasing her.

-_T-N-G_-

Emmett and Jasper were loading up some more clothes and things, after talking with their mates. They were looking forward to getting to Denali soon. Carlisle had gone to the hospital, to check on some of his patients, and let everyone know that he would be out of town for a couple more weeks. Garrett and Adam had gone to Canada, to find human victims, agreeing to meet the Cullens in Denali the following day. Everyone wanted Eleazar to take a look at the newborn, and evaluate his abilities. Edward was not looking forward to seeing Adam, and was ready to confront him if he tried anything with Bella.

-_T-N-G_-

Charlie was frantic. He had not heard from Bella, and his calls to her phone were immediately going to voice mail. He called Bella's friend Kelly, and was informed that Bella had been picked up by her boyfriend. Charlie didn't know Edward's family yet, but decided he'd better give them a call to see if they had heard from him. He knew that Edward's father Dr. Carlisle Cullen worked at the hospital, so he called there first. After speaking to the receptionist, his call was forwarded to Dr. Cullen's office.

"Yes, this is Dr. Cullen," Carlisle answered. Charlie introduced himself again, reminding Dr. Cullen that his son Edward was dating Bella. "Oh yes. Nice to talk to you again, Chief Swan." Charlie then said that he was concerned about Bella, and had been expecting her home, but hadn't heard from her. Edward had picked her up in Phoenix, and Charlie wondered if perhaps the couple had run off together.

"Strange," answered Carlisle. "I'll call my wife, and check on that. I've been out of town myself." He hung up the phone, waited a few minutes, and called Charlie back. Speaking with a concerned voice, he said, "Chief Swan, my wife has informed me that Edward has not returned home. We'd better get the authorities involved. I know that they were driving from Phoenix." Charlie groaned with deep sorrow, "Oh god...Bella..." Asking for details about the vehicle Edward had driven, he ended the call.

The burned out car was found by the Nevada police, and Charlie was taken to the scene by helicopter. He identified the car as matching the one Carlisle described, saw the burned bodies in the vehicle, then bowed his head in agony. Collapsing in tears, he fell to his knees, and held his hands over his face. "Bella...my girl..." His fellow officers offered their sympathy.

-_T-N-G_-

Irina and Kate told Tanya about the upcoming visit from the male vampires, and she grudgingly agreed to come out of hiding. When she stepped outside, Esme and Alice were just coming back from a hunt. They greeted her civilly, asking how she had been since their arrival. Tanya replied with a curt, "Fine." They then informed her that Bella had been transformed. She raised an eyebrow, "Is that so? Well, I guess that the happy couple has been mated, then?"

The couple in question suddenly ran up to the house, laughing and hugging. Everyone could see that they were deeply in love. Joy radiated from their faces, and they could not stop touching each other. Tanya pouted, pushing her hands deep into her pockets, shrugging her shoulders up against her ears. Edward noticed her there, and stopped smiling. With trepidation, he led Bella over to try to have a mature conversation. "Hello Tanya. As you can see, my mate is now a vampire. I hope she meets your approval." Tanya closed her eyes in defeat, then looked up with sad eyes. "I'm sorry for how I've acted, Edward. I know I was being unreasonable, but I...just thought..."

"Yes," he agreed. "I know what you thought, Tanya. Anyway, I'm glad that you can now see the impossibility of your unreasonable expectations. As I said before, I hope that you find your mate soon." She nodded grimly, then cautiously stuck out her hand to greet Bella. Edward nodded at Bella, and she carefully reached out to shake Tanya's hand. "Hello Tanya. I hope that we can eventually be friends." Tanya nodded her agreement, "Yes, I hope so too, Bella."

"Well, what do we have here?" a deep male voice intoned. "I believe I see my girl, and you look like you've had a make-over, Bella. Mmmm...looking good, baby." Edward growled, crouching in front of Bella protectively. "Stay back, Adam. Bella is MY mate."


	21. Fighting Adam and Victoria

**Fighting Adam and Victoria**

Alice screamed, Edward focused on her thoughts, then turned around with a hiss. Bella was gone.

Esme ran over and pushed Edward toward the setting sun. "Victoria got her...run!"

Edward growled furiously, taking off in the direction Victoria had escaped with Bella. His only consolation was that Bella was no longer a weak human. He was sure that Bella was attempting to fight Victoria off, but he knew she couldn't hold her off for long. Victoria had years of fighting experience, and Bella had none. Edward could run extremely fast, and now he had the greatest motivation of his entire existence. He unleashed every ounce of energy and skill into his pursuit.

To his surprise, he saw Adam overtake him, and continue toward Victoria. How in the hell was this guy running faster than himself? He had never met a vampire who could do that. He clenched his fists, and growled again. Now he would have to deal with TWO vampires fighting over Bella.

Trees flew past, as Edward followed their scent. Using his mind, he trained his thoughts on Adam and Victoria, to focus his pursuit. Eventually, he caught up to them. They were facing off at the edge of a cliff.

Victoria had her arms locked around Bella, capturing her arms by her side. Bella was kicking furiously, trying to break free. Adam was glowering at Victoria, yelling, "Let go of my girl, you bitch!" Victoria was...lusting over Adam. Edward was surprised to read these thoughts in her mind, but brought his mind back to the task of Bella's rescue. Continuing his speed, he dove at Victoria, grabbing hold of Bella, taking them all over the cliff.

They crashed through trees as they fell, wood splintering, rocks colliding, wildlife fleeing. Their fall ended with a spectacular explosion of sound. Edward now had Bella in his arms, and Victoria was on his back. She was pulling on his neck with all her might, trying to detach his head. Edward strained his muscles, to prevent this, and Bella said, "Let me go, so I can help, Edward!" Hesitantly, he released his hold on Bella, and she leapt behind him to attack Victoria.

Her actions were enough of a distraction to Victoria to make her lose her grip on Edward, so he wrenched free, and turned around to face her. Now, Bella was on Victoria's back, pulling her neck back, but Bella didn't have the experience to kill her. Edward brought back his hand to strike a deadly blow to Victoria's neck, but was unable to bring his hand forward. Adam had arrived, and grabbed Edward's arm. "Bella's not your girl anymore, Edward," he growled. "She's mine. I'll handle this."

Adam held Edward tight in his newborn grip, and kicked out his right foot at Victoria's neck. Bella was shocked to be holding only Victoria's head in her hand, then threw it off to the side in disgust. "Blech!" she spat out, then shuddered. Adam then threw Edward against the side of the mountain, stunning him, and grabbed Bella around the waist, running further into the wilderness.

-_T-N-G_-

Edward got up, shook his head, then focused his thoughts. He needed to finish off Victoria while he had the chance, but was distraught over Bella. With great relief, he heard Alice's thoughts. She was on her way with Esme and Rosalie to handle the destruction of Victoria. Edward broke off into another rapid chase. Soon, he heard the thoughts of his family as they tore Victoria apart, and lit a bonfire. Victoria was done.

Edward wasn't about to let Adam steal his mate. He continued in the direction they had gone. He knew it was his personal fight against Adam now, and didn't expect to have help from his family with this. But, he would thank them later for taking care of Victoria for him. Thankfully, Edward was not alone in his battle as he expected. Alice could see what was going to happen, and had called Jasper. Emmett and Jasper were driving to Denali, and began watching for signs of Adam in the area that Alice described. Soon, they discovered him. Emmett tried not to laugh, but it was a lost cause.

Adam was laid out with his face to the ground, Bella perched on his back, pressing his neck into the ground with her knee, and holding both of Adam's arms back in a firm grip. Yes, he was a newborn, but so was Bella. Yes, he had more physical experience with fighting, but Bella had an advantage - a cop for a father. She had been trained for self-defense her entire life. The look on her face was priceless. Bella was a warrior...a goddess...a pillar of strength. As Jasper and Emmett looked on, they saw Edward coming to a stop in front of them.

Edward took one look at the situation, and broke into a fit of giggles. Bella looked at him like he was crazy, "What is wrong with you guys? Get over here and finish him off!" she wailed. Jasper and Emmett were laughing as well, which caused Adam to scream with embarrassment and fury. Edward finally quit laughing, and stepped forward to take over for Bella, when he was surprised again. Tanya had arrived, and was pulling Bella off of Adam's back, yelling, "Not this one too, bitch. This one is MINE this time!"

Adam jumped up and turned around to see who else had arrived. One look at Tanya was all it took. His mouth dropped open, and his vision clouded with lust. Jasper was reeling with the emotion, inadvertently broadcasting it to the others. Edward groaned, and ran forward to grab Bella away from Tanya, then pushed Bella against a tree to kiss her passionately. Adam and Tanya fell to the ground, wrapped around each other, tongues, lips, hands, and clothes flying. Jasper and Emmett looked at each other, then ran to their car to drive home to their mates.

-_T-N-G_-

Tonight, the Cullen house in Denali was the vampire mating capitol of the world. Waves of lust were permeating the atmosphere. Naked bodies were entwined, panting with desire, screaming with satisfaction. Someone had turned on the stereo, tuned to a satellite station of seductive music. Beds were destroyed, walls were collapsed, and floors were cracked. The front door was broken down by Rosalie and Emmett, and they were having sex on the porch.

There were now two new couples in the Denali clan, leaving no single person unmated. Garrett had arrived soon after Victoria had taken Bella, and noticed Kate right away. With just one touch of their fingertips, he was smitten. Tanya and Adam were obvious mates, of course. Irina and Laurent had already made it known that they were a couple as well. No one was lonely tonight.

-_T-N-G_-

After a month of constant sex, the new couples finally settled down enough to ease the lusty atmosphere a bit. Carlisle and Esme asked everyone to gather in the main seating area, so they could discuss their future plans. There were too many vampires trying to live together now, and they needed to figure out a way to make life easier for everyone.

They all had sex hair. Clothes were haphazardly placed at odd angles on their bodies, with no buttons or zippers closed. Arms were latched onto mates, and lips were locked in tender kisses and licks. They were all thirsty, with intensely black eyes. Nobody cared - they were living on love.

Eleazar was the first to speak. While caressing Carmen's breast, and kissing her neck, he moaned, "Well, I guess we all know what Adam's main gift is: Lust." Everyone groaned with desire, and fell into their mates arms again.

Two days later, Carlisle tried to start the discussion again. "We really need to eat soon." This caused another round of sighs, and the rest of the day was spent with every possible version of fellatio and cunnilingus.

The next day, it was Jasper who spoke up. "I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm starving with thirst." Everyone reluctantly agreed, put on their clothes, and slowly walked outside. The sun was shining brilliantly, and their skin sparkled in response. Edward squinted his eyes, and slouched down the front steps, looking every bit the part of a hungover teen. Holding Bella close to his side, he squeezed his eyes shut, and reached out with his mind. "Garrett, there is a group of hikers about two miles that way," he said, pointing to the west. Garrett and Adam went in that direction.

The rest of the Cullens and Denalis tracked down wildlife in the area. They spent the first hour draining the slower wildlife, because they didn't have the speed or energy for the larger kills. But, by the end of the day, they were back to normal. Edward was pleased to find a mountain lion, Emmett got a huge black bear, and the rest of the family enjoyed moose and caribou.

As they came back home, energized from their hunt, they lapsed into another session of ecstatic mating. This cycle of sex and food continued for the next two years.


	22. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

It had taken about a decade for the Cullens and Denalis to settle back into some normal version of life. Adam had learned to control his gift, so that he wasn't constantly sending out vibes of intense sexual desire. Eleazar re-evaluated the vampire, and recognized his secondary talent: incredible bursts of super speed. This explained how he had been able to run faster than Edward when they were chasing Victoria. It also made it clear to everyone that without Adam, they would probably have never caught Victoria at all. With Adam's combination of super speed and Victoria's lust for his body, he was the perfect person to ensnare her.

Adam had apologized to Bella and Edward for his earlier attempts at breaking their mating bond. When he met Tanya, he realized that his attraction to Bella was just an infatuation. Tanya was his true mate. They were perfectly matched. Adam's features were somewhat similar to Edward's, aside from coloring, so Tanya's earlier interest in Edward was understandable. But, when she saw Adam, she knew the truth. She, like her mate, offered her sincere apology for trying to seduce Edward. Bella and Edward forgave both of them, and they eventually became friends.

Bella was enjoying her life as a vampire. The Cullens had decided to move to a new home in Jackson, Wyoming, where the wildlife was plentiful. Edward, Bella, Rosalie, Emmett, Jasper, and Alice would all be enrolling in the local high school. While they were still in Denali, Bella was being trained by the others on proper human behavior. She practiced walking at human speed, fidgeting, breathing at a human rate, pretending to eat, and "running" without looking like a vampire. After her lessons, she and Edward would retreat to their room, to mate and relax.

Their love had never waned over the years. In fact, it had grown even deeper. Bella was so amazed by her luck in finding her perfect match. She often wondered what her life would be like if she had never met Edward. She also tried to imagine how things would have turned out if she had remained in Phoenix, instead of moving to Forks. She would sometimes talk to Adam about that, and he would joke that he might have wanted to date her. This topic of conversation did not please Edward, and he would scowl and complain. Adam had fun at his expense, though. He was a bit like Emmett, with his tendency to tease Edward.

Since Tanya and Bella were now friends, Bella decided to seek her instruction on learning new languages. Tanya had been alive for centuries, and had witnessed the development of languages and dialects firsthand. She also had an excellent resource library in her house, because she had collected many priceless books and manuscripts over the years. Bella and Edward were often found huddling behind stacks of books in Tanya's home, discussing historic events, and educating each other on various subjects of interest. They both had a deep intellect, which needed to be fed constantly.

Garrett and Kate had decided to move into a small cottage of their own, a few miles away from the main Denali house. Garrett was still not interested in an animal diet, and this was a sore subject with the rest of the family. In contrast, Adam had learned to accept the animal diet completely, which made things easy for Tanya. She was the head of the Denali coven, so it was important that her mate embraced her philosophy.

Adam was surprised to learn that he enjoyed developing his intellect. In his human life, he focused on sports and physical prowess, so education was never interesting. But now, since he never slept, he grew bored with watching sports on television. He turned to his mate for instruction, and it was soon discovered that he had a great aptitude for mathematics. He and Edward spent many hours discussing this field of study.

When the Cullens finally moved out, the Denali clan was sad to see them go. The new home in Wyoming was beautiful, and Carlisle was ecstatic to be practicing medicine again. Esme enjoyed playing her "Mom" role, and the rest of the coven had fun being students. Bella made a few mistakes, walking a bit too quickly one day, and forgetting to breathe in History another. But, the others helped to smooth over her errors, by pulling out their usual excuses. Eventually, Bella was as "human" as the rest of the family.

There were some issues with the other students, which needed to be handled delicately: infatuation, gossip, jealousy, stalking. But, the family had dealt with these things many times over the decades, so they were soon resolved. The hardest part of living with humans was having to move away after about six years. Bella had the most difficulty with this, because she was experiencing it for the first time. She had made some good friends among the humans in Wyoming, and was sad to say goodbye to them. But Edward comforted her, by showering her with affection and making love for hours.

After leaving Wyoming, they moved to Maine for a while. Once again, they went through high school together. By this time, Bella was an old pro, so the family decided it was time for her to experience college life. They chose to attend Duke University in North Carolina. The Cullens had never been there before, and enjoyed the experience. Carlisle decided to act the part of a college professor this time, teaching medicine.

Eventually, after attending different colleges all over the country, the Cullens had collected 38 college degrees, covering varied subjects of interest, including art, music, literature, philosophy, science, history and math. Carlisle continued teaching, or working at hospitals, but Esme always stuck to her mom/wife role. By this time, Bella's parents had both passed away, as well as everyone else who had known her in Phoenix and Forks. So, the Cullens decided to move back to Washington state.

It was disconcerting to see the Cullen house again, overgrown with weeds and damaged by insects and wildlife. But Esme soon had it all restored and redecorated, in sync with the style of the time. When they got moved in, the first thing Edward did was get the piano tuned. While he played, Bella wandered from room to room, remembering how they had met. She wished that she could cry actual tears, because emotions were burning within her, seeking release. Walking to the piano, she sat on the bench beside Edward and rested her head on his shoulder, caressing his back. This. This was what she needed: Edward.

One day, while going to school at Forks again, Bella stopped to look at the stacks of prior yearbooks in the school library. She pulled out the one from her junior year, long ago, when she had first met Edward. The pages of the yearbook were faded and yellow. None of the Cullens were in there, because the family always avoided picture day, but she did see a few Cullens in the background of some candid shots. And, there was a class photo of Bella Swan. She looked through the rest of the photos: Jessica, Lauren, Mike, Angela, Ben, Tyler, Eric, and everyone else she had known before.

While studying a photo of Angela in the Latin club, she heard someone sit down beside her. "Hi Bella. That old yearbook is a trip, isn't it? It always blows my mind that I can see photos of my great-grandmother in there." Bella turned to look at Leslie, one of her new friends from Biology class. "Really?" Bella asked, "Which one is she?" Leslie pointed, and said, "That one right there - Angela Webber." Bella laughed, and glowed inside. "Wow, Leslie. She looks really nice." Leslie agreed, "Yeah, she seems pretty awesome. My mom always tells me that I'm a lot like her." Bella smiled, "That's cool, Leslie. I think I would have enjoyed knowing her." Leslie smiled, and gave Bella a friendly hug.

Yeah, this vampire life was pretty amazing.


End file.
